By Brian M. Boyce
TERRE HAUTE — A record turnout at the Fairbanks Park Festival has officials hopeful for this weekend’s main show featuring country music artist Sawyer Brown.
“You couldn’t even move through there,” Eddie Bird, Terre Haute City Parks and Recreation Superintendent said of last Friday’s opening events. That night, Bird said, was “the best ever” with record attendance, and officials are still trying to get a count on exactly how many people went through.
About 600 tickets have been sold thus far for Sawyer Brown’s concert Friday. The Don Morris band will open at 6 p.m. with Corey Cox at 7 p.m. and Sawyer Brown at 9 p.m.
Tickets are still available at any First Financial Bank location, Bird said Wednesday at the park board’s regular business meeting.
In other business, the board voted to accept a five-year master plan designed by Hannum, Wagle & Cline Engineering. Core Whitesell, of the firm, told the board the plan has been approved by state officials and the public has been allowed a suitable comment time. The plan covers projected development from 2009 through 2013, he said.
More than 300 surveys were received, as well as feedback from a public open house hosted last September in the Booker T. Washington Community Center, Whitesell added.
The board unanimously approved the plan.
In other business, Terre Haute resident Martha Tah requested the board ban dogs from city parks.
Tah said she had four children at Deming Park recently when a man with a pit bull was playing roughly with it nearby. Other dog-walkers appear not to be scooping their animal’s droppings, and Tah said it’s detracting from the health and safety of other parkgoers.
Recreation director Micah Gallion confirmed she witnessed a man taking a pit bull down a slide, and Bird said the group would discuss the issue further with the Terre Haute City Council.
Board member Rich Shagley and others agreed that the park cannot ban dogs from the park, but restrictions can and should be enforced.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
