DuPage Theater
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 426 - 450 of 1,253 comments
Toni,
There is only one person to blame for the negativity. He posts under the names Dupage dude, dupersupporter and theMurph. He has been harassing the residents that reside near the theatre. Now he is attacking one of the leaders from the restoration side. As recently as a few days ago he has taken to making sexually offensive comments to a 28 year-old woman that has been working to fight the condominium plan. We also suspect that he vandalized a private residence near the theatre.
Rather than shutting down this board, you should work to have him shut down.
Anne
Concerned Taxpayer 2
I have been trying to stay out of all the fighting from the people of Lombard but to call the Dupage a decrepit old theatre is insulting to the people who are fighting so hard to save it. Maybe you were never a movie goer but I have wonderful memories of going to movies when I was growing up and most of them are in neighborhood houses. One of them the Trylon is also hanging by a thread and it saddens me that there is so little history for the future generations to enjoy. You can build all the mall multi-plexs you want but there is nothing like being able to sit back in a big single screen theatre and enjoy a great film. I know times change, but some of the past has to be preserved. Progress and modernization are not everything there also has to be art and humanity.
Toni..the joy of the internet is you are just one click away from avoiding this issue if the “negative banter”, in your humble opinion, “does not belong on your wonderful site”. Go to the top of your browser, click the back button, and go away..it is that easy.
The dialogue here is quite amusing really…just goes to show the extent some people will go for a decrepit old theatre. As the editorial in the local papers have said time and time again..just because its old is it worth keeping! Unless some big money is coming into town in the next few weeks to save the day, you can bet this theatre will not make it to 2006.
DuPage Dude-
Without mentioning anything that has occured in the past. Please state what you are currently doing to save the DuPage Theatre and how you think others can help.
Webmaster:
As a long-time DuPage Theatre supporter, I would like to request that the the message board for our beloved national landmark be shut down. This negative banter does not belong on your wonderful site- dedicated to preserving and remembering cinema treasures. Rather, I am requesting that those that wish to malign and insult others return to the website from which this argument started. I would prefer the DuPage be taken out in its entirety than watch this continue. This “dialogue” is counterproductive and will never help in resolving a local issue. I am embarrassed for Lombard!
Melders…Multiple extensions were granted by the Board. Plus the Village has spent over $500,000 to date on the place. The $900,000 was theirs for the taking if they would have met the financial obligations. They missed each deadline and every time were granted extensions, except the last time. At what point do you think “enough is enough”?
All the Board did was minimize the Village and the taxpayer’s risk by making them meet their financial goals. Goals that were promised to have been met time and time again.
To say there was NO SUPPORT by the Board is misleading. Your quote “Had they been given all that money…” is equal to “build it and they will come.”
Medlers.It is my understanding that under the current plan , the Dupage Theatre Foundation would operate the Dupage Theatre and Arts Center as a not for profit.The Theatre would still be owned by the village.
Oh boy Challenger, they spent 10% of the money given to them by the city. Had they been given all that money, the eyesore you guys complain about might be in decent structural shape. Will someone please answer the following question, if restoration had happened, who would have owned the theater? Would it have been the Freinds or the city, or someone else?
Before the Spelling and Grammar Patrol gets me, I meant to say “Yup Deb, these are the people the Friends should be embracing right now.
Before the Spelling and Grammar Patrol get me, I meant to say “Yup Deb, these are the people the Friends should be embracing right now.
Please post any and all apologies on here.
The Friends are NOT the Ad-Hoc Committee. The Chairman of the first ad-hoc comittee has publically said he is against the theatre. Also, how is promising 1 milion dollars and only giving 10% of that support?
Wow, all those dollars you found Challenger…I thought you had said the Friends had only raised $1,200 in 6 years, remember that? Remember this “No egg on my face, just a big smile as I watch your group (continue) to make fools of yourselves.
Crying over $296,000, frivolous lawsuits, the fact that your group has $0 to show for (almost) 7 years work, and now you guys are scrambling around looking for a fall guy and pointing the finger at anybody as long as it is not yourselves.
Fitzy time to drop it, the grants are gone and the RSC plan stunk, all the crying and whining in the world will not bring them back. And drop the CAPS we get your point.
posted by Challenger on Oct 3, 2005 at 8:05am
Yup Deb, these are the the Friends should be embracing right now. By the way, how’s “Jayme” doing? I hope she’s not scarred for life…“She” claims…“True Class,
Thank you so much! I would like to correct one thing. I do not "live in sin with my boyfriend” as Jim Devitt said. I babysit here during the day only. It’s important that you know that. Thanks again!!
Bye All ;)
posted by LombardianDistrict4 on Oct 18, 2005 at 1:42pm"
But yet she posts late into the night…
Then there’s this one…remember folks, she says she “only babysits here during the day"
"Ms.Dynako,
A. The silo property was sold to another Condominium developer on June 2nd. I live about 100 yards from that property and we are happy they are gone. I’m not happy about more condo’s and that’s why we hated your plan.
B. I will not apologized to anyone. Why shouyld I? All you people do is try to tell us what’s good for us. The village voted..Enough is enough.
posted by LombardianDistrict4 on Oct 16, 2005 at 4:52am"
Doesn’t Bob Defino live about 100 yards from the old silos? My gosh, he does!!!!
In addition, the extensions were needed because the Board changed their requirements from the Friends every time the met them, in effect moving the goalposts further back every time it was time to kick a field goal. Call me crazy, but that doesn’t seem like support to me.
In addition, voting to demolish using TAXPAYER DOLLARS as well as not having an alternative plan sure doesn’t seem like support to me…
In pertinent part.The Dupage Theatre Foundation acquired a $296,000.00
Federal Save America’s Treasures grant.A $1,000,000.00 Illinois First Grant.Private donations of $100,000.00.Historical tax credits of $700,000.00.
As to the $100,000.00 of T.I.F. money released by the village, it is important to note that the vote to release the T.I.F. FUNDS WAS NOT UNANIMOUS by the village board.The same trustees that were against the release of the T.I.F.funds are some of the same who voted to demolish.
Melders stated (in pertinent part) “They only thing that is certain is that you must have the city government’s support…you have a group that wants to save the theater, but the council is set against saving it.”
I would like to clarify your statement. First of all, the Village earmarked $1 million for the project, of which over $100,000 was spent. In October 2001 the Trustees voted to give $30,000 for a lobbyist to help acquire funds. In January 2002 the Trustees voted unanimously to grant an extension to the Ad-Hoc Committee. The Ad-Hoc Committee originally had until December 2001 to collect $6 million and they barely had $60,000. The Ad-Hoc Committee was given another extension until September 2002, and they made very little progress. Another $20,000(?) was spent for a grant writer, which was approved by the Board.
Also, during the June 2005 vote for demolition two trustees were against it. So your comment that it did not have government support is misleading and incorrect.
I for 1 agree with some of what the dude says people…Why did he put that guy on his Board? why didn’t we see anything in the local papers from those folks until this Sebby guy got them involved? We live by a place we were told years ago would be gone, and it is still there!
Duper, you hit the nail on the head!!! Just look at this post from 2004, WELL BEFORE the RSC proposal came out…
“DuPage Theatre
1928-2004
After a seventy six year run at Main and Parkside in downtown Lombard, the final curtain dropped today, December 1st, on the DuPage Theatre (affectionately known to many simply as the “Dupe”)as restoration contracts were not in place by the deadline. The Dupe had a good run for his first 60 or so years…featuring live radio productions such as the National Barn Dance, live performances by Gene Autry, Pat Butram, and George Goebel, classic films, and later in life divided up into a budget multiplex. The last several years were tough on this old friend. Despite big ideas for redevelopment by Big Ideas in the mid 1990’s and a valiant effort for restoration by many Friends in 2004, the Dupe never recovered fully.
All is not lost in Lombard though as the Dupe is survived by many old buildings in town including the Sheldon Peck House, the restored chapel at Main and Maple, the Historical Society house, and many other significant residential structures including the much adored “Orphan Annie House” right up Main Street. Creative reuse/redevelopment of the site of this historic structure is anticipated and all in town will benefit from his legacy.
A later date with the wrecking ball is planned.
posted by Concerned Taxpayer on Dec 1, 2004 at 7:23pm"
But don’t forget this one…
“They would visit this site to protect taxpaying citizens from debacles like the DuPage Theatre that depend almost entirely on tax dollars to make it happen. The Village Board has spoken….Village President Mueuller did the right thing in finding theatre supporters in default of their restoration agreement. Supporters claimed retractors were "poisoning the well”….gee, maybe only with the truth. So I guess we can say three trustees and the Village President must have taken a drink from the well of truth (as only the supporters would see the truth and financial reality as poison).
posted by Concerned Taxpayer on Dec 3, 2004 at 9:35am"
Now these are the same people that “Friends” such as Ms. Dynako think are going to wholeheartedly embrace the theatre idea? I doubt it!
Remember something, the Charlotte Street residents were not that actively involved untill their Trustee, Steve Sebby, made a personal visit to them. He had never visited any other areas of his District until then…Now, he put Bob Defino, a Charlotte Street resident, an one of his committees…Makes you wonder.
Ms. Dynako,remember this.There have been FIVE development proposals for the Dupage Theatre and adjacent property in the past FIVE years.
All of them including the RSC proposal were REJECTED by the village board.
You must ask yourself. WHY?
The KEY to saving the Theatre rests in the hands of those who voted to DEMOLISH it.The group on Charlotte St.are being used as pawns and as a wedge by those on the village board who don’t want the Theatre restored.
Our government at work……LOL
RobertR. I have many many fond memories of the Dupage Theatre.My first experience at the theatre was one that I will never forget.I had never seen a theatre with such beauty and charm. As a youngster, I was overwhelmed.
When the theatre was bastardized and was triplexed I quit going.It has had it’s bad days due to neglect by the previous owners.The short of it is that the previous owners just NEGLECTED the theatre.
The Loew’s Jersey City was saved pretty late in the game. It was supposed to be torn down and replaced with an office building. I honestly never thought that it was going to be saved, but thank goodness it was. That theatre is going to be the focal point in a restored downtown area. With all the bickering on this site nobody even seems to mention any of their memories or happy times at the Dupage. What about the years the theatre spent as a triplex? Did people patronize it?
I don’t know anything about theater restoration. They only thing that is certain is that you must have the city government’s support. What I find sad about this situation is that you have a group that wants to save the theater, but the council is set against saving it. Instead of rejecting the RSC plan and asking for the whole community to get involved in thinking of uses for the theater, they decided to demolish the theater. This is a time for everyone in the community to join together, put aside their differences, and work for a solution.
Melders and Life,
What things in particular do you know have worked for theatre restorations? Is there a few “must haves” in the recipe for success?
duper,
One thing at a time. Let’s save the theatre, then we can worry about the rest of it. I have faith that it can still happen. We have some momentum. We have some new people looking at the situation. As an optimist, I’m feeling good about our chances in court. Every day that the theatre is standing is one more good day, and I look at that as a positive. But I also know good days can run out, and I’m trying to use the time wisely to get people back to talking about the issue in a constructive manner. Because it doesn’t do anyone any good to be negative all the time. We can look at history and learn from it. I think we could get a second chance on November 17. We should look back, learn from our mistakes, and try again to prove that the theatre is worth saving. Talking with the people who didn’t care for the RSC plan as it was presented is a place to start. I think there are people who just aren’t interested in the arts or live theatre. We probably can’t convince them. Of course, there are many fervent theatre supporters. But there are many people in the middle who do see value in the theatre but are apprehensive about the path to getting it restored. Calmly discussing the issue with them may come up with a solution no one had ever considered.
Deb.Dynako.After we SAVE the theatre ,it still won’t be over.Trustee Sebby’s personal vendetta will go on and on and on. Make no mistake about it.As long as we have village trustees who only care about their “personal” agendas and not the will of the people then struggles like ours will never end.
Reatoration Rita.Correct.That is what is lacking.Our village government is not behind our restoration efforts 100%.Our village government COULD CARE LESS.
Ms. Dynako.Let me remind you that when Trustee Steven D.Sebby was on the first Dupage Theatre Ad Hoc committee, his first motion before the village board was to DEMOLISH the Dupage Theatre.That was 6 YEARS AGO.His June 2nd resolution to Demolish should not have been a shock to everybody.Just review all of the Ad Hoc committee minutes and village board minutes.He has waged a personal vendetta against the Dupage Theatre and especially against the “Friends of the Dupage Theatre” for the last five years.
Some things never change.