Festival events originally movved away from area because of road construction
By Austen Smith, Editor
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2008
With a downtown streetscape and improvement plan now going to a referendum vote on the August Primary ballot, Strawberry Festival officials asked Monday night that the festival be moved back to its traditional location along Main Street.
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Several months ago, city of Belleville officials and Strawberry Festival board members agreed to move the portion of the festival, which has been on Main Street for a number of years, to the Belleville High School athletic fields to accommodate road construction that was slated to last from March until October. However, petitions submitted by a local business owners' group have essentially halted those plans and it is looking more and more now that Main Street would be clear during the festival scheduled for June 13 to 15 this year.
"In March, we sent a letter to City Council asking that if the construction plans don't go through that we would be able to return to our Main Street location," said Executive Director of the Strawberry Festival Joan Bodnar. "I ask that we continue to have the festival on Main Street for this year. It is the small-town feel that my vendors like and which I am able to sell."
The Main Street construction isn't the only obstacle facing the Strawberry Festival now in its 32nd year. Violence that erupted along Columbia Street during last year's festival spring boarded calls to shut down the festival altogether. A number of residents gathered during Monday night's City Council meeting asking that the festival remain at the High School athletic fields as they feared for their personal property and safety.
Councilman George Chedraue had strong comments for Strawberry Fest officials who, he said, had not come up with a "comprehensive plan" to address the numerous security concerns.
"(The residents) have said that they do not want the festival on Main Street anymore. It puts a tarnish on the whole city," Chedraue said. "I think that not coming up with a plan is pretty irresponsible after what happened last year. I aw the tapes, they were pretty bad."
Bodnar said that they have addressed the security concerns at the carnival by instituting wristband-only admission and putting fencing up around the entire carnival. She also said that it was not the Strawberry Festival Board's responsibility to take care of security as that it traditionally paid for the by the Chamber of Commerce. She did, however, say that she has spoken to Belleville Police Chief Gene Taylor to get an estimate of how much it would cost for proper security, and that came in at around $31,000.
Bodnar said there despite the violence that erupted at the carnival, there were no security issues along Main Street.
Calvin Whitmore, a West Columbia resident, said the Strawberry Fest has been unable to adapt to the times. He said that he suffered property damage and that his "cat was mutilated," during last year's violence where it was estimated that well over 100 teen-agers were fighting, throwing objects at police and shaking drivers on West Columbia after the carnival was shut down early.
"The times have changed and the festival needs to change with it. These kids have a whole different morality now," Whitmore said. "They can move the festival to the moon for all I care."
Business owners also spoke about the negative commercial impact of the festival as most shops along Main Street are forced to shut down during the extended weekend.
Jane Vesch, from Main Street flowers, said having the large white tents of the vendors right in front of her shop actually deters people from visiting the shop.
"This is my livelihood. I had to pay thousands of dollars of my own money last year because of the lost revenue due to the Strawberry Fest. I think enough is enough," she said.
Belleville Mayor Richard Smith agreed with residents that bringing the festival back to Main Street would not be beneficial to the city, and he said he was also concerned about the condition of Main Street.
Smith echoed the sentiments of all Council members as the motion to keep the festival at the athletic fields passed unanimously.
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