"I feel compelled to respond to Mr. Hoopengardner's comments about the "transportation situation" in Cleveland. I'm sorry Mr. Hoopengardner does not have a car. However, this is the type of uninformed, backward, self-flagellating thinking that this website and forward-thinking Clevelanders are trying to get away from.

True, we are not and do not have the mass transportation infrastructure of New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto, London, Paris or Barcelona. Among our peer cities (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Columbus) and even some of those above us (Detroit,Seattle,Miami), our transit system is envied. And what does that have to do with the arts? The arts flourish in places like Chautauqua, NY, Asheville and Wilmington, NC, Aspen and other small towns.

Last time I was in any of those places it was tough to find a cab let alone a bus or train. Our town's "transportation situation" is an asset, not a problem. By the way, I don't work for RTA. And it takes about 17 minutes to get from E. 9th to W. 25th and Broadview by car and, if you know how to read and use a bus and rapid schedule, it can take as little as 35 minutes to get there by public transit. That's not bad." From Cool Cleveland reader Bernie Zofcin bzofcin@brandstettercarroll.com

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