From the City of Havre de Grace:
The City of Havre de Grace has installed a sound system consisting of 28 centrally controlled speakers along St. John Street, Washington Street and in front of the Visitor Center. The speaker units will provide daily low volume, licensed, family friendly music and will broadcast programming during select special events. Each speaker is designed for high quality, all weather background sound reinforcement.
“The music is a lovely addition to the ambience of downtown Havre de Grace. After all, music is good for the soul and gives life to everything.” Havre de Grace Alliance Board Member, Johnny Boker said, “Imagine winter time, a late evening leaving a restaurant in town and walking to your car to the sound of light Christmas music as you stroll through soft falling snow. I think it’s great. Let us draw citizens into our area with new innovative ideas.”
The new sound system is the latest action by the Martin Administration to enhance the city’s Arts and Entertainment District and promote a welcoming 21st century downtown atmosphere. “The speakers will be sure to improve the overall enjoyment for all visitors to our downtown district,” said Mayor William T. Martin. “This in return will increase our economic vitality and profile.” Other downtown improvement projects include the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, pole banners, recycling containers, and most notably the downtown up lights.
“The Chamber of Commerce is pleased the city continues to make strategic investments downtown and has taken a forward thinking approach toward developing a business friendly environment,” said Cathy Vincenti, Executive Director of the Havre de Grace Chamber of Commerce. “The new sound system will certainly have a positive impact on our downtown business.”
The sound system and central controller cost $32,963 with an additional $6,400 spent on labor and infrastructure upgrades.
Christmas carols in the snow sounds beautiful, In the name of diversity I’ll expect some sort of appropriate middle-eastern music during Ramadan and something to spin a dreidel too during Hanukkah. This should be fun as a bunch of old white guys didn’t bother to think this one through.
Nice for visitors.Try living in this town where the Mayor and police protect drug people, bullies and slum lords. One day some of us will get together with our surveillance and release to the media and get the tapes released of the smart comments from police dept in this city.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nJfBgLr1of8
My vote is they should music like this.
I cannot think of a bigger waste of taxpayer money than this asinine speaker system. If some one wants ambient music, try an IPOD. I, for one, do not share a taste for ” family friendly music “. I find it aggravating and it contributes to all-around noise pollution.
Maybe they can re-sell this system on EBay.
Love to hear some modern rap played through the speakers. Preferably profanity, and a lot of it.
Does that mean you and people like you won’t be frequenting the downtown area? Wow, it’s paying off already… it’s not like you were going to buy any more than a capafrapadoucheachino and bitch the whole time anyway. And if you can’t think of a bigger waste of taxpayer money, you either don’t pay much attention or you just speak in hyperbole all the time.
Yes getting rid of tourists is the intended result you moron and a sound system isn’t the answer it’s the slum lords and druggies that infest downtown that keeps us away. Yer doin a heck of a job.
I agree…if people want to listen to music they have many personal options available to them. Mandated music by the state is very creepy.
That’s where my tax money goes to,what a joke!!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NzspsovNvII
What a total waste of money! Do a better job of protecting the citizens of Havre de Grace from thugs and drug dealers then maybe more people would visit the downtown district. It’s what you have to go through to get there that needs to be a more welcoming atmosphere. BUFFOONS
and do you know one of the ways stores chase away drug dealers? Playing music they can’t stand. Scotland Yard is using Mozart. A little opera mixed with a bit of Garth Brooks will do it as well. A little Vivaldi to fix what’s baroque