While excitement continues to mount for country music star Brett Kissel’s homecoming concert, Town of St. Paul council debated at its April 11 council meeting whether or not the gig had outgrown its venue at the Jaycee Ball Diamonds and might need to be moved.
The issue came up after St. Paul’s Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich approached council to discuss closing a section of the highway during the June 18 concert.
“(It’s) a very positive event that’s happening in our community,” he said, adding that St. Paul Fire Department members have been asked to participate and ensure safety at the concert. “The concern, your Worship, I have is in regards to numerous other activities happening at the same time. We feel one of the best ways to mitigate any potential for mishaps is to close down a section of Highway 29.”
Kotowich noted that he had issued a permit for 3,050 people total at the event, and with that many people in the area, as well as a Good Sams event happening at the Recreation Centre on the same weekend, he anticipated parking was going to be a major issue. Since people would likely be crossing 50th Avenue, he suggested closing the highway from 54th Street to 52nd Street during the event. This would provide an emergency access route and would also reduce the amount of disruption to traffic, with any heavy traffic escorted through the manned barricades at an extremely low speed, he said. The local RCMP had approved the plan, and Kotowich sought council’s approval as well.
However, Mayor Glenn Andersen mulled aloud about whether the location was the best fit or needed to be moved.
“I’m good at fishing, but I won’t take that bait,” said Kotowich, to laughter.
However, Andersen persisted, noting that the event “is getting bigger than they even planned. Did we outgrow (the venue) already with ticket sales? We don’t know.”
He felt town officials would have to meet and talk to the organizers and promoters for the concert.
Kotowich said this was not his decision to make, and that he is working on the premise the event will be held at Jaycee Ball Diamond as has been promoted. If there is a change in plan, the Town could always call Alberta Transportation and let them know there would be no need for the highway closure.
“I’d like to see another plan before the event actually goes ahead,” said Andersen.
However, council approved a motion to accept Kotowich’s traffic safety plan on the premise the event remained at the Jaycee Ball Diamonds.
When reached for comment after the council meeting, Keynon Ternovoy, co-producer for the Hometown Homecoming event, said that the plan from the beginning has been to have the concert at Jaycee Ball Diamonds.
“It’s a focal point in our town, it’s right beside the landing pad, so there’s a great sense in that respect,” he said, adding the concert is still well within its maximum occupancy. “As of now, we don’t foresee any problem with being able to fit everybody in that space.”
Ternovoy dubbed ticket sales as being “phenomenal;” it took just 12 hours to sell the first round of 2,000 tickets to the concert. A second batch of tickets had been released on Friday evening, and those are nearly sold out as well, with just a limited few remaining at retailers Richardson’s Jewellery and Power Merchants in St. Paul.
While he didn’t anticipate changing locations at this point, Ternovoy said that organizers and the Town of St. Paul will work “collaboratively and proactively” to do what makes the most sense, for attendees, efficiency and safety.
