Crescent City council signs joint letter supporting regional performing‑arts center and honors longtime engineer Mike Young

The Crescent City Council on April 6 authorized the city to sign a joint letter of support backing the Partnership for the Performing Arts' plan to build a performing‑arts and civic center adjacent to Del Norte High School and College of the Redwoods.

Presenters said the project has secured roughly $6 million in funding to date and was recently awarded $1 million in federal community project funding because the facility is intended to serve both performing arts and regional emergency convening needs. "This project is not just a building . . . it is critical civic infrastructure," Michelle Carrillo of ThinkPlace told the council, citing the site's proximity to emergency services and educational institutions.

Council discussion highlighted benefits to youth music programs and regional cultural draw; public commenters expressed both strong support for arts access and questions about the project's timeline and fundraising plan. The council approved the letter of support unanimously.

The meeting began with an extended tribute from City Manager Eric Weir honoring the life and civic contributions of Mike Young, a longtime local engineer and municipal leader. Weir recounted Young's service as city manager in the 1970s, his later roles as county engineer and public works director, private practice, and volunteer engineering work abroad. "He was an engineer and probably one of the best engineers that I've ever known," Weir said, adding that Young's work touched local infrastructure projects and global humanitarian efforts.

Next steps on the performing‑arts request include returning to the council for memorandum‑of‑understanding language and continued fundraising to fill remaining project gaps; presenters said construction could be shovel‑ready in the next few years if additional funding is secured.