For the first time in over 40 years, Clearwater Heritage Days will not be held at the Clearwater Shopping Plaza.

 

Once known as Clearwater Family Fun Day started by Don Lemke and later changed to Heritage Days, the event has become the biggest celebration within city borders, with hundreds of people attending.

 

But that has changed this year. At last week’s Clearwater City Council meeting, Kait Vrchota of the Heritage Days Committee said the owners have asked that it not be held in the shopping plaza parking lot this year.

 

Vrchota told members of the council the Heritage Days Committee had come up with an alternative plan to hold the parade and Family Fun activities in around Eldorado Park Friday evening. The other part of the plan was to have the vendor/craft fair in Clearwater City Hall/Fire Hall Parking lot along with the Clearwater Fire. Dept. open house Saturday.

 

But both those plans have changed. 

 

Members of the council expressed their concern over traffic issues in the Cedar South development, with potential issues with closed streets and residents trying to get home or leave the neighborhood Friday evening. There was also concern about the availability of the park, since there is current improvements going on there and more slated for the summer.

 

Administrator Kevin Kress said Fire Chief Ryan Pridgeon has concerns about traffic flow if there was a call during the open house and didn’t want more congestion there on Saturday.

 

Monday, Vrchota was back with an alternative plan to hold the parade on Main Street. She said the committee had met again and felt the parade could possibly begin near Riverside Park and head east, with Family Fun Day activities, food and the Lions beer stand at Lions Park.

 

So far, that plan is still in place. But it is up to the committee to arrange barricades to block traffic and put up “No Parking” notices on Main Street.

 

There is no specific plan for Saturday’s craft fair. But the council said they were open to the use of one of the city parks.

 

Other than the Rendezvous Historical Reenactment group setting up at Riverside Park, the exact details and schedule for the rest of the events is still in the works and will be released when finalized.

 

Heritage Days is Aug. 2-3.