Good Samaritans: Presbyterian Church helping Mayo Center with show parking

The Great Yard Sale at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. Photo by Katharine Boyle
The Great Yard Sale at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. Photo by Katharine Boyle
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The Giant Yard Sale at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. Photo by Katharine Boyle
The parking lot at the Presbyterian Parish Hoouse in Morristown is offering parking for shows at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Photo by Katharine Boyle

By Kevin Coughlin

With so many shows selling out at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, patrons may feel like they haven’t got a prayer of finding parking near the theater.

But at least 50 prayers a night will be answered — by the Presbyterian Church in Morristown.

The church is making that many spaces available in its Parish House lot, at 65 South St. across from the theater, for most shows.

SMART IDEA: An all-electric Smart Car on display at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
SMART IDEA: An all-electric Smart Car on display at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, September 2015. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“The Presbyterian Church in Morristown has attempted to support community events by making our parking lot available, and when possible, our facilities,” said Pastor David Smazik, citing an electric car show and the Morristown Festival of Books as examples.

“Some nights our ministries require use of our lot but on other nights we wanted to support the development of the arts and the community.”

Alison Larena, president and CEO of the performing arts center, said she was delighted by the trial arrangement, which started on this season’s opening night, a sold-out performance by Kristin Chenoweth.

“MPAC is extremely grateful to Pastor Smazik and the entire Presbyterian Church family for opening up their parking lot to MPAC patrons on select evenings,” Larena said.

The Presbyterian Church in Morristown started offering theater parking at the 2015 season-opener, starring Kristin Chenoweth. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
The Presbyterian Church in Morristown started offering theater parking at the 2015 season-opener, starring Kristin Chenoweth. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“Our patrons are absolutely thrilled!  We can’t thank the members of the church enough for their willingness to assist us with some of the challenges we are facing as Morristown continues to grow and thrive.  We look forward to a long-term positive relationship with the church and are sincerely grateful for their support.”

The theater is charging patrons $5, on a first-come, first-served basis, to use the lot. Net proceeds will go to the church, an MPAC spokesman said.

Officials at the Morristown Parking Authority got the talks started.  MPA Assistant Director Mark Axelrod applauded the church for its “community spirit and out-of-the-box thinking,” and for the precedent it sets.

“We are hopeful that other businesses and/or nonprofits in town will explore shared parking and follow the Presbyterian Church’s example,” Axelrod said.

In a letter to the church, Morristown Council President Rebecca Feldman added her kudos.

“This is a great example of community spirit, and of turning an underused resource into a contributor to the success of the business district,” said Feldman. She expressed hopes that theater patrons who park at the church will be inspired to explore programs offered by the house of worship.

Additional theater parking is offered by the parking authority at the Vail Mansion, Municipal Lot 10 (at Morris Street and Dumont Place) and the DeHart Street parking garage.

Eventually, the theater would like to see a parking garage built in Lot 10.  With more than 200 shows a year, the Mayo Performing Arts Center attracts 200,000 patrons who pump an estimated $14 million into the area’s economy.

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. I am so happy that the–Presbyterian Church in Morristown (The oldest actual church in Morristown) will open its heart and it’s parking lot to the public on nights of Mayo Shows.
    Every time I would pass the empty lot at night on a busy performance day, I would always get a sickening feeling and think:
    Where Would He Park?
    As a volunteer from before the Community Theatre opened, I am proud that our little community hangs together. Thank you–
    And what was that Joni Mitchell song?
    ” The Day Paradise put up another parking lot?”

  2. Having the theater in town is great, and its things like this that will improve the overall situation. But I also think the theater should hire a police officer to manage the traffic at the intersection of South and Pine before the show and when the shoe lets out. With the constant stream of pedestrians and the traffic on South St, it is impossible to turn from Pine.

    Having a cop manage the traffic flowwill improve the traffic in the area and also provide additional safety for the people in the crosswalks.

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