Resurgence of Shore Cultural Centre: Key to Euclid’s Revitalization
Under the leadership of building manager Laura Kidder and her staff, Coral has made an enormous impact over a brief amount of time. Most notably, the company drafted a Five-Year Strategic Plan for Shore. This plan provides not only a management, financial, capital, programming and marketing blueprint for the future, but a re-branding and community-centric approach, backed by comprehensive research and the input of many stakeholders City officials, Shore patrons, tenants and board members, local businesses, local school representatives and members of the community were all involved.
On April 5th, a resolution was passed unanimously by Euclid City Council to approve and accept the plan, as prepared by the Coral Management Company, to guide future decisions related to the management, operation, governance, leasing, programming, maintenance and capital improvements to Shore Cultural Centre during the five year plan period. In a written statement, Mayor Bill Cervenik noted, “Through Coral’s leadership and hard work, the Shore building is performing better financially, and looks better than it has in years. Coral’s work at Shore has been very successful and we look forward to expanding our public-private partnership with them.”
The cornerstone component of the Shore Cultural Centre Strategic Plan is the document’s mission statement, which sets the tone for the entire endeavor. It reads: “To provide transformative, dynamic, and high quality arts, cultural, and lifelong learning experiences that build community, enhance quality of life, and strengthen Euclid and Northeast Ohio.”
In preparation for carrying out the strategic plan and the mission, Coral immediately began undertaking numerous building improvements and cleaning initiatives, including: painting signs, doors, bollards, interior trash cans, hallways, restrooms and several rooms. They rehabilitated numerous rooms to be rented; stripped and waxed all the floors; improved a number of elements in or near the auditorium (carpet, fixing curtains, cleaning walls, changing light bulbs, making small repairs). They held two annual volunteer outdoor clean-up days for trimming shrubs, edge landscaping, mulching, pulling weeds and planting flowers. They also replaced all broken windows; deep cleaned the restrooms; fixed drinking fountains; added cosmetic improvements (plants to the hallways, signage and artwork from New Day Academy and Love-n-Care Daycare; boiler repairs; and steam pipe repairs.
Coral then began filling up rooms with permanent tenants who have committed to making Shore Cultural Centre their home base of operations and creativity. Some of these new and long-time tenants include: Euclid Culinary School (educating high school students in culinary arts; a part of the Euclid Schools), WIC (Women, Infants, Children – support for low-income pregnant and postpartum women and their children, up to age five, who are found to be at nutritional risk), CreativExpressions76 (handcrafted bath and body products and mineral make-up and hand-painted pop art wooden magnets, keepsakes and paintings; various artisan classes), Maxxx Electronics (builders of custom computers, computer repair, computer classes), One Tree Yoga (yoga classes), Awaken Yoga (yoga classes), Jay’s Clays and Pottery Studio (ceramic art, pottery classes), T-N-V Productions (video production studio), the Euclid Hunger Center, New Day Academy (charter school) and Africa House International (creative dance for children, drumming circles, women groups).
Shore is also home to many other artists and educators, who offer a variety of classes in the following disciplines: health and wellness, personal training, body building, keyboards, trumpet, guitar, piano, tutoring, pottery, audio/visual, computers, dance, gymnastics, watercolors, jazzercise, GED, college classes (Cuyahoga Community College) and more. The Euclid Symphony Orchestra, Silhouette Productions (community theater), and a handful of churches and daycares also make Shore their home.
Many special events have recently taken place at Shore…a spelling bee, a Pink Droyd rock concert and laser light show, H1N1 vaccine offerings and a craft show all occurred in the last few months. Soon, Shore will host its annual Farmers’ Markets, which take place every Friday (from May 7th to November 19th) from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Euclid and surrounding communities can see for themselves what is happening at Shore Cultural Centre by attending the building’s Open House on May 15th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This event will feature artisan exhibits, Shore’s tenants, entertainment, face painting, refreshments and building tours. A student music and dance recital will commence upon the conclusion of the Open House.
As the City of Euclid continues to plan for the revitalization of Downtown and other parts of the community, Shore Cultural Centre is positioned to be a major catalyst for citizens and visitors to gather, create, play, exercise, eat, learn, worship, grow and be entertained.