Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Culture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Volunteer launches Sonoma Plaza history tour website and app; performance set for Oct. 15
Summary
Volunteer Jim Silverman presented sonomaplazahistory.org to the commission, describing 24 short videos, bilingual narration, downloadable plaza app, and a free performance Oct. 15 at Sonoma Community Center Andrews Hall; the project is volunteer-run and has funding gaps.
Jim Silverman, a Sonoma resident and volunteer, presented sonomaplazahistory.org to the commission and asked for collaboration and support for a free, multimedia Sonoma Plaza history tour.
Silverman said the project includes 24 short videos that document the plaza’s natural history, wine heritage and personal stories tied to significant buildings, and that many stories are available with Spanish narration. He said the site includes family-oriented materials — coloring pages, word puzzles and an interactive Sonoma Plaza History Hunt — and that the Sonoma Community Center is serving as the project’s fiscal agent.
Silverman described the interactive app (designed by Rachel LaRoy) that visitors can download at the plaza and said the site is listed on Visit California and has recognition from Sonoma County tourism as a cultural tourism resource. He said the project began as a pandemic-era volunteer effort and that some CalArts grant funding supported aluminum prints of Mike Acker’s panorama artwork; those prints are on display at the Sonoma Community Center.
Silverman asked the commission and other community partners to help promote the resource to hospitality businesses, schools and realtors, and to consider collaborating on translations and education materials. He said the project ran short of funds before completing all language narration and that he is building a board of directors to broaden support.
A commissioner in the meeting praised the project as valuable for destination marketing and community education; Silverman said tickets to his Oct. 15 Andrews Hall performance at the Sonoma Community Center will be free. The presenter also said all content on sonomaplazahistory.org is free and that he is a volunteer.
The commission did not take formal action on the presentation but praised the project and invited Silverman to continue discussions with staff and fellow commissioners about partnerships and outreach.
