The Sept. 26 editorial, “Our View: St. Lawrence center’s bus plan is right approach for Munjoy Hill,” regrettably misses the point.

The art center’s proposed expansion from a 114-seat venue to one that can serve up to 601 patrons at a time is not an argument about public versus private transportation. It is an argument about having a regional performance venue in the middle of a largely residential neighborhood.

Over many years, we may see modes of local transportation gradually shift to a model needed by the St. Lawrence to survive (including walking, biking, car pools, shuttle vans and buses), but it is unlikely in the short or even medium term. Human behavior is, after all, the most difficult thing to change.

And let’s not forget, this is a regional performance venue. How many people from Falmouth or Saco will drive to Elm Street, park, wait for and catch a bus to the St. Lawrence, then wait for 30 minutes or more after the performance for a bus back to Elm Street? Would you? This is an interesting social experiment, but it is the Munjoy Hill neighborhood that will primarily pay for its failure. Of course, ultimately so will the St. Lawrence when not enough patrons are willing to make that trek.

I appreciate that Deirdre Nice, executive director of the St. Lawrence Arts Center, wants to follow her new dream of creating a modern regional performance venue on the Munjoy Hill site. The old dream of restoring a beloved landmark is no longer viable and is not part of this proposal.

But she should do it in the downtown Arts District, which has the appropriate infrastructure and would not impact a densely populated area with a likely 200-plus cars for each event.

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