SCHENECTADY City visitors center opens at Proctors BY BETHANY BUMP Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Bethany Bump at 395-3107 or bbump@dailygazette.net.
Community officials came together Thursday morning to celebrate all that Schenectady has to offer. And the focus of their celebration was not for those already familiar with the businesses, restaurants and entertainment the city provides, but rather for those who would just be passing through. A reception and ribbon-cutting inside Proctors kicked off the offi - cial opening of a new Schenectady Heritage Area Visitors Center, and lauded the recent designation of Proctors as Schenectady County’s Tourism Promotion Agency. “The city is pleased to cooperate fully with this effort to create a visitors center that will showcase Schenectady and offer residents and guests information about our heritage and our future as a technology leader,” said Mayor Gary McCarthy in a news release. The downtown Schenectady theater attracted more than 600,000 people to the city last year with a variety of events. With the TPA designation from the County Legislature, Proctors can now apply for tourism funding through the “I Love NY” matching grant program, which is designed to stimulate and increase the economic impact of tourism with the planning and promotion of marketing programs. Adding to Proctors’ reputation as a focal point of the city, the Heritage Area Visitor Center is a stone’s throw from the theater’s box offi ce. A 1,200-square-foot exhibit area can be accessed from its State Street entrance. “With Proctors as our TPA and with this new center, the entire region will see all that we have to offer,” County Legislature Chairwoman Judy Dagostino said in the release, “including thriving businesses, restaurants and theaters that our residents and visitors can enjoy.” Schenectady’s history, landmarks, industry, culture and visionaries will each have their own exhibit areas within the center, which features digital, print and television displays. Exhibits will also include display racks with marketing materials on various historic points and places of interest within the county and the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, which extends from Waterford to Schenectady. Proctors can also feature new material in the exhibits throughout the year if it so wishes, since the exhibit panels were designed to be revolving and easily updated. Content was prepared by the Schenectady County Historical Society, Schenectady Museum, Mabee Farm, Proctors History Committee, Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, Revolutionary Byway, local historians and the city of Schenectady. The project was ideal for local and federal funding because it turned unused and high visibility space inside the Proctors complex into a resource for visitors. The state Department of Transportation will administer a $180,000 Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Grant for the project, and the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority is providing a $40,000 local match.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Explain WHY taxpayers should foot the bill. Taxpayaers have their own expenses, they should NOT be funding a visitors senter when they can't even make their own homes presentable to visitors because they are paying almost the highest taxes in the whole country.
And, uh, what is the renaissance? Where is it? Can you tell us? Where are the lower taxes on the homeonwers? What services have improved in the city? Where are the increased property values?
Try answering those questions for once. Be sure to provide proof from official sources too.
Well, since there is no proof we know you won't answe the questions
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
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