01 & 14 (21)Public Comment
From: Laura Dart <
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2021 12:43 PM
To: Public Comment
Subject: Partnership & Location for Anaheim Ballet
Dear Mayor Sidhu & Council Members,
I was very disappointed to learn that the city of Anaheim is asking the Anaheim Ballet to leave their
current location in the Anaheim Cultural Arts Center so that the building can be repurposed for
affordable housing without any plans for a new home for the Anaheim Ballet.
The Anaheim Ballet has been vital to the community in Anaheim for well over 20 years now. The
Anaheim Ballet provides free community-based after-school programming, workforce and recreational
training, bus -in presentations, lecture/demonstrations and concert performances that enhance the
pride of the city locally and internationally.
The city needs to be more creative in meeting the need for affordable housing. There is no need to
displace the Anaheim Ballet to achieve this goal. Underserved youth in the city are dependent upon
the Anaheim Ballet in its current location. Are you truly going to choose affordable housing over our
underserved youth? You cannot toss one vital need aside in order to satisfy another. That is weak
leadership at best. I truly hope you will reconsider this course of action.
Please vote in support of the Cooperative Agreement with Anaheim Ballet.
Mayor Sidhu's profile on the Anaheim city website states that he "understands the value of honest,
hard work". The Anaheim Ballet has put in honest, hard work for over 20 years, and that deserves
recognition and appreciation for how it's impacted the Anaheim community for the better. His profile
also shares his involvement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim and the YMCA, so showing
support for the Anaheim Ballet should fit in well with his publicly stated values as "a supporter of the
arts and arts education". Source: https://www.anaheim.net/5174/Mayor-Harry-Sidhu.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this crucial matter!
Sincerely,
Laura Dart
Resident
Placentia, California