Building is a hopeful symbol

Christmas spirit was in evidence Monday night.
So was Dunkirk’s civic spirit.
As a charming chorus of students from West Jay Middle School performed holiday songs on Main Street for a crowd of families awaiting Santa’s arrival via firetruck, lights glowed in windows across the street.
The Todd Building, once an opera house with downstairs retail space, was in all its glory.
With the exterior restored by Dunkirk Investment Group, the building awaits tenants who will bring new life to the community’s downtown.
It stands today as a symbol of hope, of optimism and of commitment to Dunkirk’s future.
And thanks to the efforts of its owners, it also brightens the Christmas season.
Lights, Christmas trees and decorations have been installed with an artistic flair, transforming the vacant structure into something special.
It brought smiles to the faces of those gathered Monday for Dunkirk’s annual Feel the Warmth of Christmas event, and it will brighten December nights in the weeks to come.
This is a season of hope, a season of optimism, a season when “peace on earth, good will toward men” isn’t an empty phrase but something that resonates across the years.
And thanks to those who rescued, restored and decorated the Todd Building, both Christmas spirit and civic spirit are alive and well. — J.R.