[octothorp]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

I can't speak for the event organizers, but I bet if you asked them, they'd say the road being closed is an integral part of their event and would be something completely different without it.

Or just you failing to understand it (please don't take that as an insult, it wasn't meant to be). Perhaps a combination of both. Which is fine.

The point is, whether or not you or I understand or agree with why groups organize events, that shouldn't enter into why they are granted a road closure so long as they have met the criteria necessary to have that road closed. They don't have to justify their desire to have lanes closed to you, me, council, or City administration in order to have the road closed. To have a well-attended and successful event perhaps, but not to close a road. Pick the road, pick the endpoints, pick a date and times, fill out some forms and pay a fee (I think?) and that's it. If it is approved, great, if not, go to plan B, whatever that is.

Why should the Bow River Flow organizers, Dominion Construction, the Stampede Board or anyone else have to write a thousand word essay on what the deeper meaning behind their festival, concrete pour or construction project is in order to have lanes closed?

Agreed 100%. This is what it comes down to for me: as someone who lives a block from Memorial, I know that it's been at least partially closed down for events four times this summer that I've been aware of, and very likely it's been closed down additional times. If you eliminate the Bow River Flow on the grounds of the inconvenience that it causes, then you also need to close down the many other events (some of which are for very worthy charities) that close down Memorial on Sundays throughout summer. Personally, I like Memorial being the default route where all these events happen, and it makes a lot more sense then scattering them through the city.