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Trash, parking among concerns

Some people love Cruise Night on Liberty Square, others not so much.

Efforts are under way to improve the once-a-month event and convince skeptics that there’s a lot of potential for attracting attention and potential customers to the downtown area.

“I think it’s a wonderful family event,” said Vicki Vance, the new president of Historic Downtown Liberty Inc., sponsor of cruise night, which is held from 4 to 8 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month during the summer.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to make it better,” Vance said.

Don Altis, who was recently recruited by HDLI to serve as coordinator, said he was pleased by the reception he and Vance received so far while walking around the Square talking to merchants about the car show.

“Most of them were for it,” Altis said. “There were a few that had issues, mostly about parking.”

Vance said concerns involved cars arriving too early, taking up customer parking and the lack of adequate restroom facilities. HDLI hires two off-duty police officers to provide security and the Mustang Club provides insurance, Vance said.

Bob Snyder, president of the High Performance Auto Club, said he would like to see food vendors on the streets, more trashcans, perhaps portable toilets and better access and egress to the Square. He said he understood the merchants’ beefs with parking.

“Participants could be more disciplined in their parking,” Snyder said. “Some early arrivers tend to occupy 1.5 spaces per vehicle and on our part this must be actively discouraged.”

The next cruise night, which typically draws a several hundred vintage and muscle cars and hundreds of admirers, is scheduled for Saturday, June 27.

By then Altis, said he hoped to visit with those impacted including city officials to allow them to vent any objections and try to resolve lingering concerns.

Altis, as the former president of the then Downtown Merchants Association, initiated cruise night in 2004 after a tornado damaged the Square as a way to attract people back. Altis said he had lots of ideas for making the event more festive such as awarding dash plaques, providing music and having a raffle.

Kathy Bedinger, owner of the Ethan Allen furniture store, said she did not mind the car show but did mind the trash left behind.

“Something needs to be done about all the trash,” Bedinger said.

City Administrator Curt Wenson said it’s the event organizers responsibility to take care of the trash.

“From the city’s perspective, we love having people coming down here,” Wenson said. “They just need to let us know if there’s a situation that generates a lot of trash so we can help.”

CRUISIN'

Cruise nights are held from 4 to 8 p.m. the last Saturday of the month on June 27, July 25 and Aug. 29. For information, call coordinator Don Altis at 517-2262 or visit www.historicdowntownliberty.org.

Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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