Cyclovia in Roland Parks canceled
The Roland Park Cyclovia IV, which had been planned for this Sunday, has been called off, according to the Baltimore Department of Transportation.
The event, a street festival in which at least part of a broad city avenue is closed to vehicle traffic so that walkers and bicyclists can have unfettered use of the roadway, was to have taken place between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Roland Avenue and University Parkway. Kathy Chopper, a department spokeswoman, said she did not know the reason for the cancellation.
Carol Silldorff, executive director of Bike Maryland and an organizer of the event, said it was called off because of delays in receiving an answer from the city's permit office regarding the cost. She said that after the decision was made to scrap it, organizers found the city intended to charge $5.000 -- more than they were prepared to pay. She said she hopes the Cyclovia can be rescheduled for October.
Cyclovia is based on a concept developed in Bogota that has been adopted by several U.S. cities.
Comments
The $5,000, according to those who have worked the event in years past, is charged by the city in order to pay the many police officers that patrol the road during the closure. We went last year and have never seen such a strong police presence for such a low key event. We observed approximately 6 or 7 officers at one end of Roland Ave. riding in circles together on their motorcycles. Cyclovia is a lot of fun. It will be missed.
Posted by: Magan | September 21, 2011 1:28 PM
Based on past experience with the Charles Village Festival, the city charges a huge permit fee to close the roads. The cost of paying police OT to monitor intersections, direct traffic, etc. is above and beyond that permit fee. .
Posted by: B'More Cat Lover | September 21, 2011 2:13 PM
sounds like a shakedown.
Posted by: JH | September 21, 2011 3:31 PM