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Wiedrick Road By Erika Aftuck

Theater group looking for community input

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Are you intersted in reviving the old Babcock ?

By Kathryn Ross

WELLSVILLE – The group working to bring back the old movie theater on Main Street is asking for community input.

At a meeting Tuesday night, the group was given an overview of the thoughts of Scott and Tami Treutlein after their tour of the theater. The couple is noted for renovating and reopening several old and failing movie theaters across the Southern Tier. They were invited to Wellsville to assess the current state of the old Babcock/Lin-Ray/Grand Theatre, which is currently owned by the village and the subject of an ongoing effort to restore it.

The Treutleins advised that it will cost between $250,000 and $300,000 to renovate the theater which has been idle for the last four years. The village has plans to repair the roof and turn on the electricity to stabilize the building prior to winter according to Deputy Mayor Jeff Monroe who is the village board’s liaison to the theater group. Monroe worked at the theater in the ’70s.

The couple, who also offered their expertise and guidance to the group, advised that the key to the theater’s success is to offer a new and different kind of theater experience to the area, according to Angela Glickstein, who has been leading the effort to restore the movie theater, and David A. Howe Library Director Nic Gunning who were among those who met with the Treutleins.

 Following the discussion among the more than 25 people in attendance, it was decided, per the suggestion from the Treutleins, that a survey of the community to find out what it wants would be appropriate. The group is looking for suggestions for questions to be included in the survey. Written suggestions may be dropped off at the village office or the library over the next week or emailed to Glickstein at angelacauliflower@gmail.com before a small committee meets next week to formalize the survey. 

The group is also looking at making the theater a non-profit entity and is discussing fundraising efforts such as establishing a Go Fund Me page.

Monroe noted that the Genesee Valley Media’s recent 360 Theater Tour is currently online only in still photos on their website but will soon be in video form. It will be made available on Facebook and on the village website.

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