Anoka river run cancelled

Dont know if its true or not but I saw this posted on another forum.


I was just sent an email from the folks that run the Anoka River Run. The way it sounds is that the city wants to charge $500 plus for each and every Saturday night as a rental charge for the use of the city streets. The vendors have been told that they will not be needed this year, as the rental fee that will be charged to the Anoka River Run will exceed the amount that is taken in each and every Saturday...... Funny what happens when you get a new Mayor in office.

[MR.hp]

Dont know if its true or not but I saw this posted on another forum.


I was just sent an email from the folks that run the Anoka River Run. The way it sounds is that the city wants to charge $500 plus for each and every Saturday night as a rental charge for the use of the city streets. The vendors have been told that they will not be needed this year, as the rental fee that will be charged to the Anoka River Run will exceed the amount that is taken in each and every Saturday...... Funny what happens when you get a new Mayor in office.

What a bunch of crap! Maybe what we as a car people that have these types of cars that attend their little shows is we wont shop Anoka and boycott their town. To most people they say BIG DEAL, But the truth is that when a lot of us go there we help the local economy and the little buisnesses.
Polititions are all idiots and just want money. FUCK THEM.

Sounds like I am mad huh:rlol:

[Red Rocket]

River Run... Is that the big weekly show on the downtown streets?

If it is, what a bummer. Been there a couple times, LOTS of awesome cars to peek at!!

[id 34]

River Run... Is that the big weekly show on the downtown streets?

Yep

[Z28SSMAN]

I've never gone to one. I shoulda gone when 602hp took his '68 Firebird.
I figured there'd be other times. That's what happens when you put stuff off.

[fast toys]

This is a little old but I though it should be posted



Anoka River Run pulls out of city
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

A local non-profit is calling it quits on its Saturday-night car show in downtown Anoka.

The car show attracted hundreds of visitors to downtown Anoka on Saturday nights through the summer. File photo courtesy of Anoka River Run

At the Anoka City Council’s Jan. 20 meeting, Tom Durkin during open forum announced the River Town Community Partnership would not be putting on the weekly Anoka River Run classic car show this summer.

The car show has been a staple on Saturday nights in Anoka over the last several years, running weekly for most of the summer and wrapping up with a fall finale at the Anoka County Fairgrounds.

Durkin, RTCP chairperson, did not provide any additional information to the council, which was surprised by the announcement.

In an e-mail, RTCP Executive Director Mimi Doran said she did not have any comment on the group’s decision to discontinue the car show in Anoka.

“It is with great sadness that we (RTCP) have to announce that we will not be hosting the Anoka River Run in Anoka during the summer of 2009,” wrote Doran.

She did not elaborate on why the non-profit made the decision or if the group planned to host the River Run elsewhere.

The show has grown into a popular destination on Saturday nights, bringing people from across the Twin Cities to Anoka to look at or show off their classic cars, boosting business at downtown restaurants and bars.

Looking to keep some of that business alive, the council Monday agreed to ask the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce to consider re-establishing some type of car show in the community.

“I think the ironic part of this is that I spent four or five years opposing the car show,” said Mayor Phil Rice, who eventually turned his opinion around.

“I asked around... making sure it had some value (to the community) and they finally convinced us it was a good thing. Just three or four months ago there was resounding support for the car show.”

Last year the council unanimously supported the RTCP’s application to host the show in the city for 2009.

“I think we have to keep the momentum up here,” said Councilmember Carl Anderson.

Councilmember Jeff Weaver said he thought there would be enough support for a show in the community.

“I think there are enough people who have an interest in seeing this thing proceed that it will be rather seamless,” said Weaver.

The council agreed the chamber would be left to come up with its own model for how and when the car show would operate.

John Hawkins, former vice chairman for RTCP, said he thinks there is a future for a car show in Anoka, but maybe a more condensed version.

“I think that it needs to be taken on by a bigger organization with a much larger volunteer base,” said Hawkins, who let the RTCP use his sound system for the classic car shows.

Hawkins feels volunteer burnout played a big part in RTCP’s decision to discontinue the River Run.

A core group of volunteers gave up nearly every weekend of their summer to host the show, he said.

“I could see it coming,” Hawkins said.

For a show to work there would need to be enough volunteers to rotate in and out, he said.

The RTCP’s relationship with the council has been rocky at times over the past year.

At a work session last January the council started to question the non-profit’s financials and some members of the council raised concern over the group’s regular use of Anoka streets without any financial reimbursement to the city.

The RTCP had also proposed hosting a farmer’s market in Anoka, but after struggling to come to an agreement with the council, opted not to pursue the idea.

Both the car show and the potential farmer’s market sparked a bigger debate about whether or not the city’s user groups should be charged to operate on city property when hosting special events.

The council has yet to come up with an answer and before Christmas passed the debate to the Economic Development Authority, looking for a solution.

It was reported at Monday’s council work session that the EDA is expected to bring a draft policy to the council this spring.

Rice said a new car show will also play into the council’s decisions on how special events are regulated within the city.

“This is an intricate question on the use of public space,” said Rice.

Any new car show will be expected to comply with a special events policy adopted by the council.


Hey city people

[Z28SSMAN]

Maybe the city will realize how much revenue the show generated after they shut things down.

[MR.hp]

Maybe the city will realize how much revenue the show generated after they shut things down.

I don't think so city people are too stupid to think on their own:rotfl:

[98 cobra s/c]

they shut it down cuz of blown engine's. some people were getting lost and ending up farther north down hwy.10 and there engines would blow and spill oil all over the streets and the city got tired of cleaning the shit up...........lmfao

[Z28SSMAN]

hmmm...I didn't think they allowed that many Fords up there. lol

[fast toys]

Update

Just found this today,


After the organizer surprised the city and dropped out, a civic group stepped up to keep the show on track.

Star Tribune

Last update: February 17, 2009 - 8:18 PM


Anoka residents, businesses and old car enthusiasts are burning rubber about upcoming changes in the popular Anoka River Run Classic Car Show. But everyone seems to agree on one thing: The show must go on.

That looked doubtful in January when the show's co-organizer, businessman Tom Durkin, appeared before the City Council and said he was done with the show but gave no reason.

"I was flabbergasted," said Mayor Phil Rice, a former show critic. "For Saturday afternoons, it has been a great event. It is family-friendly ... and well run."

The show has brought thousands of classic car hobbyists to eat, drink and shop downtown on Saturdays from May to September in the Jackson Street and Third Avenue area for about six years.

As word spread that Durkin had dropped the show, council members were deluged with calls from upset businesses and River Run fans. The council directed City Manager Tim Cruikshank to seek another sponsor.

He asked the Anoka Business and Land Owners Association (ABLA), which voted this month to get the show back on the road.

"The car show is a good thing and it will keep going forward," said Council Member Jeff Weaver, an ABLA member.

The renamed Anoka Classic Car Show will open May 16 and eight more shows will be held on the first and third Saturdays, June through September, said Peter Turok, ABLA's executive director.

Turok said an advisory group of city officials and car show volunteers last week set the schedule and a $3 per classic car fee, although Anoka car owners will be free. ABLA's board is expected to give the final OK in early March.

The City Council had voted unanimously last fall to let Durkin run the 2009 car show. But some council members suggested a large event fee and increasing the $1 donation that Durkin asked of classic-car owners.

City records indicate the council still may consider charging the car show or other special event sponsors $500 to $1,000 per day. The issue was referred to the city's Economic Development Commission. That body in April will recommend to the council fees and policies for all special use of city streets or property by nonprofit or for-profit groups, officials said.

Durkin, 60, a car show fan since his high school days, ran the show with his wife the past two years. He is a Realtor who owns a downtown bar building. Durkin said one council member told him before he withdrew he should consider a $5 car fee.

"I am not charging $5 a car," he said. "We are trying to save the car show by pulling out."

Durkin said that despite repeated requests since August, the council never clearly told him if the show could continue to operate every Saturday and what the fees would be. He said he needed answers by January to plan the show and tell vendors and car owners what to expect.

While Durkin was involved, the show was sponsored by the River Town Community Partnership, a nonprofit group supporting community groups and businesses. River Town hired Durkin's wife, Mimi Duran, a professional event planner, as executive director and car show organizer. Durkin became River Town's president in October.

Turok said the city will receive $1 of the $3 car fee and the rest would cover set up, advertising and other costs. Any surplus above costs would be donated to civic groups, he said.

Any car vintage 1978 or older can participate.

Lawn chairs and a Model T

"I'm glad they are doing something," Bragg said, "but I'm disappointed it's not any more than twice a month." The frequency change might confuse car owners and drive them to shows held in other cities, including St. Francis, North St. Paul and Hastings, he said.

The Anoka car show schedule will be publicized in classic car magazines and elsewhere, Turok said.

"I know there are some changes, but once they come and see it is still there, people will be happy with it," he said.

Rice and Weaver have expressed concern that River Town didn't give as large a share of its proceeds as other nonprofits to community projects. At the same time, they noted River Town profited from using Anoka streets and parking lots without paying the city a dime.

Rice noted that the RiverFest craft show in July gives the city $10 per exhibitor, and proceeds from the Halloween parade, the city's biggest event, go to the Miss Anoka pageant scholarship fund.

Durkin defended River Town's finances and giving. He said $1 donations taken from car owners and street vendor fees covered insurance, advertising, DJs for music and other costs. And some proceeds were given to a Blaine battered women's shelter, an area food shelf, a Halloween pumpkin give-away and a children's breakfast with Santa, he said.

Durkin said his wife was paid about $24,000 from donations made to River Town and from the $8 admission charge at the finale car show at the Anoka County Fairgrounds.

Mayor Rice said he became a car show supporter after talking to many businesses and residents living near the car show and hearing they all liked it.

"We are not holding River Town to a higher standard" than other nonprofit groups, Rice said. "We want equitable financial accountability."