ATHOL — If all goes according to plan, the downtown parking garage off Exchange Street could be transformed into a drive-in theatre — at least, for one evening in mid-October. M.E. Kane, Artistic Director for Main Street Stage Company, told a recent meeting of the Athol Selectboard that she would like to use the space to accommodate a showing of the 1991 musical comedy/drama “The Commitments.”
“We’re a local non-profit production studio and development firm,” Kane told the board, “and I’ve been working with Eric Smith, the town planner, over the past two months. We’ve had two site visits for the technical layout of the event down at the municipal parking lot, right behind the Main Street block.
“It actually qualifies for a shovel-ready grant from the DOT (Dept. of Transportation) to go ahead and work on that space for either what they call a tactical urban pop-up event, or permanent improvements to the space.”
Kane said she and Smith have had two “very productive” meetings on the second level of the parking garage to discuss the feasibility of the project and how the effort aligns with the mission of the Main Street Stage Company.
“Our objective is to plan to improve the spaces where we work, live and perform,” she went on, “and that would culminate in this event in mid-October for the downtown drive-in.
“Now, there are other drive-ins across the state that have had a great deal of audience because movies weren’t open as of May 25, when Gov. Baker specifically opened drive-ins.”
Kane said she has reached out to a similar drive-in that is operating in Falmouth, which she plans to visit soon.
“There is also a Chicago innovation and production firm that has opened in Yarmouth, and they showed “Jaws” this past Friday night.
“So, it’s a model that’s been working and I think it’s very exciting to be able to use that space — possibly — for an event that will bring attention to an area of town, right behind the downtown, that currently is underutilized. We could get some grant funding to make those restorations and improvements.”
Board Chair Rebecca Bialecki wanted to know approximately how many cars such an event could accommodate.
“We’ve been looking at different variations on the layout,” said Kane, “since we’ve started laying out the space with those two site visits. Dick Kilhart, the Assistant Superintendent of the DPW, came out today and spent an hour at the site. He had some thoughtful ideas about the event itself and about improvements for the lot for the future, if that’s the model we follow.
“I’m thinking in terms of the distancing we would be able to do, and by the models provided by the existing drive-ins. I’m thinking about 50 to 60 cars based on the layout that we’re currently looking at.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Bialecki. “I think it’s a very positive sort of an event and a great, novel way to use our sort of underutilized space. So, as things progress, just keep us in the loop as things move forward.
“I think there will be a need for some sort of more formal approval from this board as we get closer to the event happening.”
At an earlier meeting of the Downtown Vitality Committee, Kane said details for the actual screening of the movie and for means of providing audio to attendees is still being worked out.