by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
The City of Sanibel honored BIG ARTS on Thursday, Sept. 25, with a proclamation for its support after Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage to MacKenzie Hall, where city meetings are held at City Hall.
BIG ARTS opened the doors to its Christensen Performance Hall for the city to use as a meeting space in December 2022. For the next three years, all official city meetings—council, planning commission, and various committees—took place in the Performance Hall.
“We were honored to have you all there,” said BIG ARTS Executive Director Lee Ellen Harder following the reading of the proclamation. “We were just fortunate and very happy our facility was still standing and operable after the storm….We miss you, and we’re there for you always.”
Vice Mayor Holly Smith said that BIG ARTS stepped up and gave the city a place to call home after the storm. “Thank you for being there during our marathon meetings we had over there, but we’re really glad to be home.”
Council Member John Henshaw expressed his gratitude for the BIG ARTS staff. “The staff who were there to greet us, even when we left at eight o’clock at night, were still smiling,” he said.
City meetings resumed at MacKenzie Hall in August, and the space is equipped with all the necessary IT equipment and monitors for audio and livestreaming. Plus, the dias was extended to include seating for city staff.
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