Thursday’s Daily Herald editorial read in part,
“…losing the (Catlow) theater would be a blow to Barrington and the entire suburban arts community. Movie houses like the Catlow are increasingly rare; seeing a film there was something special.
That’s why we wish O’Connor the best of luck in finding the right buyer should he choose to sell — someone who shares his sense of the community, who understands the entertainment industry and who respects the Catlow’s unique legacy. And we hope village officials do what they can to make that happen.
The Catlow is a suburban treasure, one we hope to enjoy on its 100th birthday and beyond.”
The full editorial can be found here.
There is absolutely no disagreement here! None whatsoever.
However, the Herald and many others fail to acknowledge fact that lack of available nearby parking is one of the primary reasons for the Catlow’s woes, and has been for too many years.
The parking lot signs next to the Catlow Theater behind some Main Street stores where movie patrons used to park now read, “DO NOT PARKING ’THEATER’ CUSTOMER.” We made a special trip to capture the picture seen above, since try as we can, we just cannot make this up.
Signs in the main Jewel parking lot state, “ONE HOUR PARKING 5PM to 10PM – Per Village Ordinance.” Apparently, it’s OK to park at Jewel all day long when commuting downtown via Metra, so long as you leave their lot before 6PM (Per Village Ordinance). However, parking at Jewel for more than an hour during certain times to enjoy an evening movie could result in a fine.
We can cite other parking issues, but why bother? The fact is the Village of Barrington and some local businesses purposely abandoned the Catlow’s ownership and supporters years ago, and that’s inexcusable.
Related: “Owner of Catlow Theater in Barrington looking to sell historic venue”
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