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City Council actions help restore a bit of normalcy
From the looks of the City Council’s May agenda action, things are finally getting back to normal around Greencastle.
On the heels of last week’s announcement that the Putnam County Fair Parade will go on as scheduled Sunday, July 18, the City Council took action on several street closing requests, all but indicating the return to normalcy for First Friday, Second Saturday and the Farmers’ Market among other events.
First Friday will return on June 4, Main Street Greencastle Director Mike Richmond announced.
In addition to the street closings -- Franklin and Indiana street sides of the square and South Indiana from Washington to Walnut -- for the initial event of the year, Richmond was also granted approval for subsequent First Fridays on July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1.
“We’re looking for the same as 2019,” Richmond told the Council without needing to note that First Friday was just another COVD-19 casualty in 2020.
Richmond also advised that health plans for the event have been approved by the Putnam County Health Department.
Other than the beer garden sponsored by Moore’s Bar, there won’t be any vendors on the Indiana Street section south of Washington Street, Richmond said. He said plans are to move the tables and chairs along there into the street to keep the sidewalks open and allow greater pedestrian flow along Indiana Street.
Making the motion to approve the First Friday street closings, Councilman Dave Murray noted, “It was painful to say no last year.”
Richmond also received approval to close Indiana Street between Washington and Walnut streets on Friday, June 11 for a celebration by the DePauw University alumni from the classes of 1980 and 1981.
Although DePauw itself is not sponsoring Alumni Weekend for the second straight year, the two classes that would have celebrated 40 years last year and this year have organized their own event in Greencastle and are expecting 100 to 150 people.
The block party, technically open to the public, Richmond said, will feature a band and beer garden.
“There’s no marketing going out on this,” Richmond said, “it’s just a group of alumni.”
Also receiving approval for street closings on Saturday mornings from May 22 to Oct. 2 was Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brian Cox on behalf of the Greencastle Farmers’ Market.
The market will again have vendors along the Indiana and Franklin street sides of the courthouse.
The market has had up to 36 vendors on a Saturday, Cox noted.
Second Saturday, the family-focused event that normally features bounce houses, movies and other amenities from Big Bounce Fun House, will begin anew in June and continue through October.
Big Bounce owner Susan Lorimer said a proposed health plan is currently awaiting Health Department approval.
Mayor Bill Dory asked Lorimer to remind the businesses along South Indiana of the scheduled Second Saturday programs.
The street closing request was unanimously approved on a motion from Veronica Pejril, pending a Health Department OK.
In other Council action relative to the resumption of normal activity:
-- The Council approved streets closings for Piper Voss of The Warehouse Voss for a Memorial Day event called “The Murph,” a workout challenge involving a mile run, pullups, pushups, squats and another mile run in body armor. The event will shut down North Indiana Street between Franklin and Columbia streets from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Voss said 45 people participated last year.
-- It was announced that the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Forest Hill Cemetery will take place this year following a one-year hiatus due to Covid. There will not, however, be an accompanying 5K run this year.
-- The city pool is scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend after losing the entire 2020 season due to the pandemic. However, Park Director Rod Weinschenk warned the Council that he may not have enough lifeguards available to open on Saturday, May 29 due to high school graduations and graduation parties. “I want to forewarn you that it may be Monday of Memorial Day weekend,” Weinschenk said of opening day “because of all the high school and college graduates we have that won’t be available that weekend.”
The entire City Council was in attendance in person for the May session. Joining Murray and Pejril for the two-hour meeting were President Mark Hammer, Adam Cohen, Stacie Langdon. Cody Eckert and Jacob Widner.
Further City Council action will be addressed in a future article.