Brown Recommended for N. Main Group
At its May 23, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor public art commission (AAPAC) unanimously recommended that Connie Rizzolo Brown be nominated for a position on a task force to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. That recommendation will be forwarded to mayor John Hieftje.
The task force was established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting, with membership to include the following: one member of the park advisory commission, one member of the planning commission, one resident representing the Water Hill neighborhood, one resident representing the North Central neighborhood, one resident from the Old Fourth Ward, one resident representing the Broadway/Pontiac neighborhood, two business and property owners from the affected area, and one member of the Huron River Watershed Council.
At its May 21 meeting, the two sponsors of the resolution that created the task force – Ward 1 councilmembers Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith – proposed adding three additional representatives: a member of the city council, someone from the boating/fishing community of river users, a representative from the Huron River Citizens Association. Tony Derezinski (Ward 2), who also serves on AAPAC, then proposed an amendment to add an AAPAC member to the task force. The AAPAC addition was passed by council on a 6-5 vote. [See Chronicle coverage: "Positions Added to North Main Task Force"] Appointments are expected to be made at the council’s June 4 meeting.
At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski told commissioners that “basically, we need someone at the table.”
The task force is charged with delivering a report to the city council more than a year from now – by July 31, 2013 – that describes “a vision to create/complete/enhance pedestrian and bike connection from downtown to Bandemer and Huron River Drive, increase public access to the river-side amenities of existing parks in the North Main-Huron River corridor, ease traffic congestion at Main and Depot at certain times of a day and recommend use of MichCon property at Broadway; …”
Earlier than that – by the end of 2012 – the task force is to make recommendations on the use of the city-owned 721 N. Main parcel.
Brown has served on AAPAC since early 2009, and has chaired the commission’s projects committee. She is a principal of Rizzolo Brown Studio, an Ann Arbor architecture firm.
This brief was filed from the basement conference room of city hall at 301 E. Huron, where AAPAC held its meeting. A more detailed report will follow.
It was my great luck to participate in two of the ten bands that Lorne played in- the Ypsilanti Community Band and Jon Reves’ Riverside Big Band. Lorne is the finest musician I’ve ever worked with. Put a piece of music in front of him and he would play it, by the third time, flawlessly. Never heard him complain. Only words he spoke were pleasant. As good a musician as he was, he was even a better person
Lorne Kennedy represented perfection as a musician from a conductor’s point of view. He never missed a rehearsal or a concert and he was always punctual as well. Every piece was prepared ahead of time to perfection, whether that was on clarinet, saxophone, or flute. A very quiet man, he typically spoke in rehearsal only when he needed to ask a question about some aspect of interpretation. Yet he was friendly, highly cooperative, and concerned about the well-being of others. These highly desirable personal traits reflected themselves not only in his substantial music-making but in every other aspect of his life as well. We in the Ypsilanti Community Band–and the numerous other groups he played with–will miss his strong personal and musical influence on all of us.
Lorne was a great clarinetist and friend. I really enjoyed playing with him. Over the past 5 years I participated in 3 different bands with him (Ypsilanti Community Band, Ann Arbor Concert Band and Dexter Community Band) as well as in a small ensemble that plays occasionally.
I will miss Lorne, but I know he is playing perfect music in God’s band.