JAMESTOWN – A special event permit will not be needed for a rally against drug addiction scheduled to take place this weekend in Jamestown.
Monday night the Jamestown City Council’s Public Safety received an update on the Rally to Recover Jamestown event, which is being organized by local resident and advocate Chanda Lynn Germain.
Last week the committee denied a permit for the event to take place at the Gorenson Bandshell in Allen Park, due to concerns with the number of people expected to be on hand, parking, and lighting. The committee suggested the event be moved to the Allen Park Ice Rink and asked Germain to return this week for Monday night’s meeting.
However, as WRFA reported last week, Germain has instead opted to partner with the Sherward Arts Complex on E. 2nd Street to hold her event. And according to Jamestown Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Chet Harvey, a special event permit is not needed if the event is being held indoors on private property.
Harvey explained to the committee that his staff has been working with the venue operators – Vince Liuzzo and Justin Miller – to ensure the space is code compliant. That includes making attendees aware of sufficient exiting, providing a 15 foot-wide emergency lane, and making sure the maximum number of attendees doesn’t exceed 99 person.
We wanted to make sure it has sufficient exit, and they need to be limiting the number of people that can come through the door. They also have to post a fire watch, who has to be there anytime a person comes into the building. There’s a lot of specifications the fire watch person will have to comply with and they’ll be doing periodic checks throughout the event,” Harvey explained.
Harvey said that if the rally is found to not be in compliance with city or state fire code for any reason during the event, the fire department will work with the organizer to correct the issue, rather than shutting the event down.
The Rally to Recover Jamestown is a free event that is being held to raise awareness about drug addiction in the community as well as the resources that are available, along with a focus on what more can be done. It will run from 1 to 11 p.m.
More details at www.Facebook.com/SaveJamestown.
The Sherwood Arts Complex is located at the Former Dahlstroms Building on E. 2nd Street.
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