Schaefer Center Marquee Lights Up

Downtown Toccoa officially lights up the new Ritz Theatre marquee at the Schaefer Center.

City and state officials, local residents, and others gathered Thursday evening in front of the Schaefer Center in downtown Toccoa to turn on the new marquee that graces the front of the building.

Toccoa Mayor Evan Hellenga said that the renovations of the Schaefer Center, including the latest step of this marquee, is a special effort.

“Many of you here today remember this building as the Ritz,” said Hellenga. “Perhaps many of you remember seeing movies under the marquee not unlike the one we are about to light up. Maybe a few of you were in that picture we are going to re-create tonight. We are here at ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ to celebrate the history of this building, from the Ritz Theatre to the Schaefer Center to its honored spot today as one of the anchors of Toccoa’s historic downtown district.”

50th District State Senator John Wilkinson is one of those who remembers the Ritz Theatre years ago.

“This is a big evening for our community,” said Wilkinson. “I do have a lot of fond memories associated with the Ritz Theatre. It really takes me back.”

Meanwhile, 28th District State Representative Dan Gasaway said that projects like this are crucial to economic development in rural Georgia’s small towns.

“It is not going to be like it has always been, but these are the kinds of things that attract tourists,” said Gasaway. “These are the types of things that attract families that want to retire and move to a community because they have such a bountiful variety of activities and things for people to enjoy.”

City officials noted that the new marquee would not have been possible without a grant from the Fox Theatre Institute that helped pay for it.

Carmie McDonald is the Director of the Fox Theatre Institute.

She said the Institute is proud to be in Toccoa to celebrate the work Toccoa has done on the Schaefer Center.

“You probably all remember that about just over four decades ago, the Fox Theatre was almost demolished, but the Atlanta community came together to save that historic building and the lesson that we learned then was the same one we celebrate here tonight and that is that when you have dedicated individuals that come together united by a common cause, anything can happen,” said McDonald.

City officials also expressed their appreciation to all of the other state and federal agencies that have assisted with the restoration work and improvements at the Schaefer Center.