Arts in the Park got a present from the Blue Ridge City Council at its Sept. 14^th meeting.  Installation of the City Park playground will not begin until after Arts in the Park’s Fall Festival.  This is the second time this year that the Council’s decision affected Arts in the Park use of City Park.  The Council’s decision about starting park renovations and installations in spring 2016 threatened the Spring Arts in the Park festival.

FetchYourNews earlier reported that the Council’s decision to allow a construction site inside the Fall Arts in the Park permitted festival area would only be a problem for this particular fall festival (read article) However, Nicole Potzauf, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association, explained that the location of the playground equipment is damaging to all large downtown festivals, not just Arts in the Park.

The new location of the playground, which is actually the old location of the playground, will greatly limit the amount of booths available to festivals..  In Arts in the Park’s case, the new location would cut its potential vendor area from 182 booths to 100.

The problem is that putting the playground next to Church Street prohibit festivals from having vendor space in the area in front of the stage.  To get to that area, festival goers must first see that there are tents hidden on the other side of the playground, bathroom and trees.  Then, they must walk in the street, around the playground to get to the additional tents.  Festival organizer predict that no vendor will buy a space set that far away from the main festival area.

At some time in the future, City Park plans show a sidewalk around the perimeter of the park.  However, there is no indication that a sidewalk is coming any time soon.  Indeed, there is uncertainty if the playground is coming anytime soon.

On Aug. 26^th, Arp lobbied the Council to move the playground back to its original location, which currently is an expensively sodded and landscaped horticulture park.  The playground was slated to go in front of the stage.  Arp said that the playground location had to go back to its original spot because the playground equipment the Council approved would not fit into the designated area in the south portion of the park.   Arp is also the Council member who determined which pieces of playground equipment to buy.

Arts in the Park is grateful for the city’s compromise.  Nicole Potzauf, Executive Director of Arts in the Park said she looks forward to find a solution for all involved interests.  Potzauf will serve on a Committee to look at how to place playground equipment so that it does not interfere with festivals.  In 2015, when the city was developing its City Park design, Potzauf advised Mayor Whitener about how park design would affect Blue Ridge festivals.  Potzauf and Mayor Whitener walked through City Park and Potzauf marked off vendor spaces festivals use.  Mayor Whitener used the informatin in developing the park’s design.  Potzauf will serve on a five-person committee consisting of herself, a Chamber of Commerce representative, a Downtown Business Association representative and Council members Angie Arp and Rhonda Thomas.

Potzauf fully supports having a playground in City Park.  Potzauf, mother of a five year old, like all caretakers of children under the age of 12, is impatient to get the playground back, especially on the weekends when the kids need to get their wiggles out.  She also sees the playground as a benefit to festivals.  Families can have a safe place to step away from the festival for a bit and let the kids run around.

Cesar Martinez of the Downtown Business Association wants the playground back, too.  He agrees with Potzauf that it adds a family atmosphere to Blue Ridge’s festivals.  He hopes that City Council makes a decision that equally represents the Fannin families and downtown businesses.

“Kids don’t care whether the playground is here or there in City Park.  But, the playground needs to be somewhere so that Blue Ridge can continue to take advantage of the driving economic force that festivals are for the city”, said Maritnez.

Fannin County children got a present from the City Council as well.  The Council decided that playground installation will be in December, just in time for Christmas and winter weather.  The initial playground installation date was spring 2016 so that children could enjoy the playground during the warm months of the year.

Any organizations hosting events downtown during December are encouraged to call Council Member Angie Arp and let her know the dates of the event.  According to Arp, she scheduled the late September playground equipment installation because she was not aware of any festivals that may conflict with those dates.  The annual Fall Arts in the Park is always the 2^nd week in October and one of the largest festivals Blue Ridge hosts.

 

Related Post:

“Fall Arts in the Park May Be Held in the Middle of a Construction Site”

 “Park to Open for Play in Late September”

“Does Angie Arp Have Control of Downtown City Park?”

 “Downtown City Park Update..”