The idea of a concert and performance series held each Friday afternoon in Veterans Memorial Park in Tooele seemed like a good idea when it was announced two years ago. After all, local merchants were looking for a way to attract more shoppers to the downtown area, Tooele City was looking for a way to revitalize a park that seemed to have lost its human soul and local artists were looking for a venue to showcase their talents.

Few, however, could have predicted the success that the Fridays on Vine performances have become. Combined with a growing farmers' market, the end-of-the-week event now draws crowds of as many as 200 people. Local merchants have indeed seen more customers -- at least during the performances -- and one of the most frequently heard comments by patrons is that the talent on display is surprisingly excellent. Perhaps most remarkably, urban Tooele now has a gathering spot where residents can meet and experience culture and camaraderie in a way typically associated with much larger cities.

Tooele City and the Downtown Alliance should be commended not only for conceptualizing the Fridays on Vine series, but more importantly, for sticking with the project and helping it to become established. Their efforts prove there are not only accomplished artists in Tooele, but also citizen who will patronize the arts if given the opportunity.

Let's hope the success of Fridays on Vine is just the first note in an eventual symphony of arts in Tooele. As the city grows, one of the best ways to ditch the "exurb" tag and give an historic town a fresh, new face is by making it a place of arts and culture. Who knows, if the Tooele City Arts Council can pull off similar successes with others arts and other venues, the city may one day compete with similarly sized cities like Cedar City in its range of festivals and performers. That would be something newcomers and longtime residents alike could certainly be proud of.