City moves on plan to demolish, replace Center Theater

At some point in the future, the old Center Theater in downtown Franklin will be demolished and an open-air amphitheater will be constructed in honor of Mayci Breaux.
Breaux, a Franklin native, was fatally shot last July when a lone gunman opened fire in the Grand Theater in Lafayette.
The Franklin City Council has grappled with the question of what to do with the deteriorating old structure for years. Earlier this month, the city filed an application to demolish the remains of the theater with the Franklin Historic District Commission, and the commission approved.
The city is now on a search for funds to build the Mayci Breaux Memorial Amphitheater on that site.
In materials presented to the commission at that time, the city said the new structure will be “a space centered on the love and respect for all.”
It will be an “open air garden space that represents Mayci’s beauty and love for families,’ the attachment reads.
There will be a fountain centrally located in the space composed of two sugar kettles to “represent her family’s passion and hard-working nature but also their unity.”
Other ideas include outdoor movies at the rear, a space which can also be used for music and events; a mural on the adjoining walls; a sky view that would be “covered in strung lights representing the beacon of light she was to everyone she knew;” and another space with tables and chairs, with umbrellas, for outdoor dining and gatherings.
“The idea of making this space a memorial in honor of Mayci was presented to me via Mrs. Sandy McClelland,” Mayor Raymond Harris Jr. wrote. “It felt right from the second she mentioned it.”
Harris added, “I truly believe that this space was meant for her all along.”
At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the council, an ordinance was adopted declaring the theater is “no longer need for public purpose” and authorizing Harris to have the building demolished and debris removed.
The council also:
—Heard from St. Mary Council on Aging Director Beverly Domengeaux who reported on the large number of senior citizens the agency has provided services to in the city and surrounding area.
—Passed resolutions to contract with Cajun Mosquito Control LLC for mosquito abatement in the city; lifted the open alcohol container law for the Franklin Harvest Moon Festival Oct. 31; and authorized Harris to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Louisiana Department of the Treasury for receipt of $50,000 in funding dedicated by the legislature for city hall and Center Theater work.