To the editors:
Yes, downtown Joliet is a moribund shell of its thriving former self. Yes, I miss the economic vitality of the area that figures in pleasant childhood memories. But your writer could have been a little more fair!
I can’t believe that, in his brief tour of the central city [“The Ditch That Made Chicago Happen” by Peter Friederici, October 30], he missed one of the few positive notes–the “Jewel of Joliet.” In less than a decade the Rialto Theatre metamorphosed from wrecking-ball candidate to major entertainment venue, playing host to pop, rock, country, and classical artists on a regular basis, thanks to a dedicated cadre of civic activists.
This century-spanning cultural mecca played a major role in the I&M Canal Corridor history, and continues to do so. Too bad your writer missed it.
Nina D. Gaspich
North side