CODY ENGLANDER
Staff Writer
At 11 a.m. Thursday, smoke filled the air as dreams filled the hearts of students at Children’s School. The ambitious children proposed new plans to Interim Chief Executive Kyle Keogh designed to attract younger audiences to Chautauqua Institution.
The plans — presented to Keogh on a large roll of paper — consisted of more playing and less working, more fish in Chautauqua Lake, a playground in Chautauqua Lake, an arcade, bumper cars, roller coasters on Bestor Plaza, a skatepark, more fireworks and an array of free concessions provided to Chautauqua’s youth, including ice cream, popcorn and cotton candy.
The children refused to expand on the implications of these changes, including the financial responsibilities and burdens they would place upon the Institution, leaving the decision-making up to Keogh and the Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees. It is unclear if any preliminary research or comparative studies were conducted ahead of the group’s meeting with Keogh.
The proposed playground would be inflatable — which would reduce fiscal barriers in comparison to a permanent structure — but would create harsher living conditions and potentially create environmental implications for the proposed fish in the lake, though the children have yet to bring an environmental engineer in for consultation on the project.
The children also refused consultations from engineers regarding the proposed roller coaster projects and the bumper car project, though it’s unknown if the children plan to do the consultations themselves or hire outside consultants.
The proposals, potentially increasing attendance metrics by ushering in a younger generation of Chautauquans, may be costly. It is unknown whether or not funds from the Boundless campaign will be used for roller coaster construction.
It is also unclear whether or not Keogh and the board plan to implement these changes, though Keogh showed fondness toward the ice cream proposal, coming to a compromise with free Freeze Pops for a day.
“You’re really big on the free,” Keogh noted to the children.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Keogh took the list of proposals with him, likely to submit to the board for proposed changes.
