While we understand the City of Lisbon and Lisbon Sauerkraut Days Committee working to bring the softball tournament back to the community of Lisbon, there are valid concerns with allowing alcohol use at City Park. Lack of alcohol use stopped the tournament from being there this year.
Why was no third party interested in running an alcohol booth at the park this year? Was that opportunity not clearly communicated to the community, or were there really no interested parties to apply for a liquor license for the event? Especially after the discussions last year outlined the only way alcohol was allowed in the park was with a proper licensed and separated booth.
One of the events held at the park during Sauerkraut Days is the Celebrate Community event, run by the Wellness Coalition of Rural Linn County and Southeast Linn Community Center. The coalition’s mission is helping youth in our areas to make decisions about reducing substance use and teaches about the concerns of underage drinking. And it rankles a bit to think of that event and the ice cream social happening in proximity to alcohol, no matter how many fences there are to limit alcohol crossing to the rest of the park. Do those family friendly events really need to be held in close proximity to alcohol?
Another point that was raised at the council meeting Monday – the location of the current city park really makes the events there on Thursday a safety issue, with kids and families crossing at the stop signs or along the streets near the park at random. It’s especially an issue when Jackson Street serves as a main north to south thoroughfare into the town of Lisbon, since blocks of Washington Street are closed Thursday evenings of the festival due to carnival rides. It’s hard enough for sober drivers to be mindful of their speed and the increased foot traffic around the park at those times. Adding alcohol adds potential issues for collisions or crashes with pedestrians or other vehicles, even if the driver is not totally inebriated.
We get alcohol is not prohibited from Sauerkraut Days festivities, that there is a booth in downtown Lisbon, and no issues usually occur around said location. We also realize that the city may not be holding all Sauerkraut Days activities at the park in future years, with the sports complex being constructed in north Lisbon. And maybe this is making a mountain out of a molehill.
We just think there are questions and concerns that the council and community should really consider as these issues are being brought back to the table once more.