If the Mason City Chamber of Commerce has it’s way, citizens would be limited in East Park on Band Fest weekend to consuming alcohol only in a “beverage garden.”|
If a Chamber of Commerce proposal is OK’d by the Mason City Parks Board, and then ultimately the Mason City City Council, citizens will only be able to drink alcohol in a fenced-off area in East Park on Band Fest weekend. Patrons could then buy alcohol in this “beverage garden.”
City code allows citizens to drink booze anywhere in East Park during park hours. The Chamber is asking to limit where people can drink on Friday and Saturday nights after 5 PM on Band Fest weekend. See the map at the bottom of this story.
Band Fest will be held May 26-30. The dates in question are Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29.
The Chamber’s proposal is on the Parks Board meeting agenda scheduled for Tuesday night. On the agenda, it says “Chamber of Commerce ñ Band Festival.”
In it’s proposal, the Chamber says “our recommendation is to restrict the use of alcoholic beverages in East Park to a designated area that is only open from 5 PM until closing on Friday and Saturday evenings.”
It further says “Our request from the Park Board is support for an ordinance that would limit alcoholic beverages in East Park during Band Festival weekend to the designated area only. This means alcohol would NOT be permitted in the park in the morning and afternoon when the entertainment and activities are child and family oriented.”
The proposal also states “our request… means alcohol would NOT be permitted in the park in the morning and afternoon.”
The Youth Task Force is mentioned in the proposal, saying that it is “supportive of this request” and that “a designated area is superior to having drinking allowed in the entire park.”
The interesting angle on support from the Youth Task force on this proposal is that, according to the city’s website, Chamber of Commerce Director Robin Anderson is also a Youth Task force board member. Here is a screenshot of the city’s website showing Anderson as a Youth Task force board member:
NorthIowaToday.com will be on hand at tonight’s Park Board meeting and will report on how the Park Board handles the Chamber’s proposal.
Map of East Park showing where the Chamber’s beer garden will be located:
