Isn't it interesting that just as there are becoming fewer places to smoke, there are more places to drink?
A lot has changed since 1982, including restrictions on where residents can drink alcohol. Three parks facilities — the Community Center, Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory — all allow alcohol at private events.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Parks Director Al Moll will ask council to add four more venues to that list, including Freimann Square.
At a Parks Commissioners meeting Nov. 16, the commissioners approved Moll's request. At that time he said allowing alcohol would make the park facilities more competitive when vying for special events. Alcohol would be allowed only at approved events with all the required permits, including uniformed security.
Maybe they've finally hit on a downtown revitalization plan that will work -- just let people wander around and drink. Question of the day: Could the Three Rivers Festival even survive without beer?
Comments
To answer your question "Could the Three Rivers Festival even survive without beer?"
That would be a "no".
Wow...that must be the reasoning behind the SOUTHSIDE "revitalization" plan as well...
A liquor store or bar within 1 block of EVERYWHERE....
That explains all the booze containers we see being tossed from cars onto our properties...nice "improvements".
(my lawn thanks them all)
;)
B.G.
Not a big deal, but I see no reason why the 3 Rivers Festival should have to survive without beer anyway.
Funny how hard it apparently is to get a new liquor license to SELL in town, yet the Friemann area and three other approved locations get a new free pass to IMBIBE.
I wonder who will be the lucky annointed ones who get to sell it down there by the fountain and the benches... I'd be darn sure, right now, that that question can't become a scandal of preferential treatment, ever.
Private events or not, the bids for these lucrative windfalls had better be open and fair -- I would think.
I am wondering why it is ok to allow beer at 3 Rivers where there are kids but no smoking at places where there are kids? The city is more worried about second hand smoke than drunken drivers. I think both are bad. 3 Rivers could survive without beer! Maybe it would be nice to go down to an event without some drunken fool spilling their beer on someone because it is so crowded and rowdy.
And now you know (Laura) why, in the TEN years I've lived in the Summit City, I have NEVER gone to the TRF...
There is much duplicity afoot within the political confines of this city....and it shows.
B.G.
Yes, Laura. 3R and all the downtown events would be much better if they weren't so crowded. The secret, it seems, is to create really fabulous events that will be thoroughly enjoyable for only a very few people. I nominate you for the planning committee.
It is just as easy to spill Coke on a neighbor in a rowdy crowd as any other beverage. The grousing on this thread begins to border on wet-blanketism, and frankly I like a good party as much as most people, so I'll have to beg off the grumpery convention.
3 Rivers would NOT be the same, in fact might not survive at all, without the lubrication of spirits and the guilty pleasure of culinary binges on admittedly unhealthy but heavenly-tasting snacks once a year.
If the festival needs anything at all, it needs someone who knows how to hire good bands without having to demand a demo CD and a presskit. Some of the best bands have played along the edges of food alley with nothing to recommend them but great word of mouth.
I disagree on spilling a coke as likely as spilling a beer. Coke does not get people drunk and careless! It is fine to have events that attract alot of people but why do they have to be crammed inside of such a small place?? I'll tell you why-because people are drinking alcohol and the area has to be contained. If it weren't for this they could put the event out in an open and much bigger area. Everyone doesn't need to get drunk to have a good time.
A common misconception, especially among those who drink too much, is that everyone who drinks gets drunk.
In fact, most people who drink to have a good time do not get drunk, or drive home drunk. They may actually stop at one or two, when they "start to feel it." There is no reason to penalize the majority of prudent drinkers for the spilled drinks of the few who boast about being wasted or out of control.
It's also, by the way, unwise as a general thing to make declarations about what everybody else in the surrounding community "doesn't need" to do. Most people have plenty to do to handle themselves.
There are those rare occasions when one may stand alone and still be right, of course -- it has happened to me no more than three times in 50 years that I can document.
But the rest of the time...