- April 23, 2024
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At the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, it’s finally time for the show to go on.
The city facility is now ready to reopen and host live entertainment after being closed for about 15 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Performing Arts Center Supervisor Marc Schwartz said that, in his four decades of experience, he had never seen the industry hit harder than during the pandemic.
“Getting to this point has been a long and seemingly very slow road,” Schwartz said.
During the closure, the PAC served as a drive-thru testing site and hosted a couple public meetings. Likewise, Schwartz himself took on new roles: Keeping track of personal protective equipment for city staff, helping at the city’s vaccination site at Nova Rec, and running the Ormond Beach Tennis Center.
The PAC’s first priority is to reschedule shows that were canceled due to the pandemic. Schwartz expects it will take most of the summer for the PAC to adjust to the “new normal.”
“I would describe the way that live entertainment is going as a crawl before you can walk situation,” he said. “Since everything came to a halt, gearing everything back up is going to take a little bit of time.”
One thing that will help is being able to operate at full capacity, he said.
The first show in the theater will be a production by the Children’s Musical Theater, to take place July 22-24.
“We welcome you back and we’re looking forward to hosting shows in the very near future and seeing you again,” Schwartz said.
There will be a temporary modification to the disinfectant used for the city’s potable water system, the city announced on Tuesday, June 8.
Through June 28, the disinfection of the system will be performed by applying free chlorine rather than chloramines, according to the city. It states this is a common practice for enhancing the effectiveness and reliability of disinfection in water distribution systems, and that it is recommended by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The city states the water remains safe to drink though it might taste or smell different.
The Florida City and County Management Association recently recognized a city intern with two scholarships.
Larry Wheatcraft Jr. was awarded a veteran’s scholarship and an Emerging Leaders Conference scholarship.
The FCCMA has over 600 members across Florida.
Do you play pickleball? Players can head to the Nova Community Center for indoor open pickleball, with a reservation.
The center is located at 440 N. Nova Road, and is open daily. Call 676-3252 for more information.
