(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
October 27, 2014 - 4:35 PM
KELOWNA – Centre of Gravity is welcome to return to Kelowna for its eighth year, but only if it’s not during the August long weekend.
Council received a report from the Outdoor Events Committee Monday, which looked at how the three-day festival impacted residents, the RCMP and local infrastructure.
Wet Ape Productions agreed to move the annual music and extreme sports festival from the already busy August long weekend to the last weekend in July in 2014. A move Mariko Siggers with the Events Committee says could mean the festival won’t be back.
Wet Ape agreed to several other changes as well, including different music, a focus more on the athletics rather than the music, enhanced patrols in neighbourhoods south of the bridge and better enforcement of parking in residential neighbourhoods.
Siggers says while the changes did result in fewer complaints from residents, the festival made less money.
“It wasn’t as successful financially as previous years,” she said. “They are doing everything they can to make this festival go ahead at the end of July.”
Wet Ape have not yet confirmed if they would return for 2015 but many councillors said they would like to keep the unique festival that last year attracted around 20,000 people, most of which are under the age of 23 and from out of town.
“None of us (on council) took this event lightly,” said Coun. Maxine DeHart. “For the city, the businesses and for our law enforcement, this is the right weekend.”
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014