I do think there are some serious issues to be considered, because there is a fine line between using the public resources/space for a greater good and harming other business establishments.
Should Main St be the next Fremont street in downtown Vegas? Should Farmers' Market be held right on Main St. instead? Did any other more moderate option considered and tried before closing part of Main Street?
When the venue grows too big, perhaps it is the responsibility of the organizers to provide security and workable solutions.
We support a vibrant downtown, also an united community and we do urge everyone to tread on this carefully. We are interested at solutions, not emotional talk points.
I am opening up the comments without moderation just for this topic. People need to be heard but please be civil.
ReplyDeleteBy the time Friday Night Live season closes we will have had 9 nights of the streets being closed. While that will help some businesses like bars and restaurants, some others are going to be harmed. Maybe they could close some side streets like Broadway between Gaspar and Main, and Gaspar but leave Main Street open.
ReplyDeleteFriday Night Live is great. We used to leave the City every Friday to go out in Wauwatosa or Milwaukee but now its one of our favorite things to do in the summer. They are becoming a victim of their success.
Eat – I thought they were just trying it out tonight?
ReplyDeleteLike Ronsta, I support closing Main Street from Barstow to Clinton for Friday Night Live....but I think they should have waited until the Wisconsin Avenue reconstruction was completed. I also think they should have given downtown business owners more notice and an opportunity to anticipate potential problems ahead of time.
Remember HarleyFest? Remember the Great Waukesha Flood of 2008? Much of downtown was closed to traffic on those occasions, and people flocked to downtown. Most walked or rode their bikes, or parked in one of the parking lots around downtown. The streets had kind of festival feel to them. I think that closing down the street will draw even BIGGER crowds than you see now. I know that I would probably go more often, since I would feel safer bringing along my toddler and my giant stroller and not having to negotiate it between crowds of people on the sidewalk.
To respond to something that Kristen said earlier, I think that Milwaukeeans would be impressed by the fact that Waukesha closes its streets for some outdoor concerts, rather than turned off by the closed streets. Plus, can you imagine trying to find parking downtown in the middle of Friday Night Live if you aren’t from Waukesha? It would be a very stressful experience. Just have everybody park in one of the lots and walk from there.
Anyway, I have prior plans for tonight, so I won’t be able to come to Friday Night Live. I’m curious to know how the street closing turns out.
The one difference from the prior festivities, such as Harley Fest, is the fact that Clarke Hotel depends on Main Street for people to come and stay at their establishment. Would it be possible to allow Main St. to stay open and shut the side street of Clinton St. between the corner where the tower is (or right after the turn in to the public parking lot across from Hannon's) and Main Street instead? You still have the location of having a set up for music in front of the Steaming Cup and the Almont Gallery, and the other businesses that are in that vacinity. I think with this suggested area being a little bit farther away from the other areas of music, people may walk with more care and with a purpose on Main St. Then the traffic would still be allowed to flow on Main St. I think the barrier set up to take away the parking there would also add to the safety of the people. It is great to see people gathering and enjoying all that is offered in downtown Waukesha. Let's hope that this can be resolved fairly.
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