To the editor:
I am writing to you regarding the recent “Dinner Over the River” that took place on Saturday, July 13 at the bridge on Concession 8E, Cargill.
Although I live just down the road, I was not notified of this event. The day prior, there was an orange detour sign off to the side of the intersection near our home, which I didn’t pay much attention to. The following morning (July 13), at 10 am when I left my home the detour sign was across the road along with a small white sign reading “Dinner over the River, Park at the Community Centre.” I assumed there was an event going on in Cargill as that is the nearest community centre but was surprised as there are several other events in Cargill this summer.
In the evening I was driving home with my four children to put them to bed and chose to take the opposite end of Concession 8E to come home. I found another Detour sign and Dinner sign there but continued down the road home.
As I came down the road I could see many people gathered on the bridge, with vehicles parked on either side. There was no way to get close to the bridge or to get out of my vehicle and walk to someone to find out what was going on, as I had my children in the car and it was a distance from where I could park to the bridge.
I had to turn around and drive around the block which took another 10 minutes. I arrived home and called the police, who informed me that they didn’t know about the event either. They sent a cruiser down and called me after speaking to someone at the event, telling me the event was not properly advertised and that they told the committee so.
In my opinion, this event was poorly executed for the following reasons:
– close neighbors should have been notified seeing as the road was closed all day, though a school bus travelled back and forth several times prior to and after the dinner to transport people to the community centre. The event description online also states there was parking available on the west side of the bridge, which explains why some of the vehicles were parked on the road;
– the landowners of the properties being viewed from the bridge should have been asked permission to be part of the event, where guests viewed four different people’s private properties for 3.5 hours and took photos, as I can see from photos posted online. Also the description online for the event mentions guests can “stroll the grounds,” so private property may have been trespassed without landowners being aware;
– the committee did not notify the police of their intention to close the road.
For these reasons I believe this is an event that should not be repeated. I hope that future events put on by this committee will be done so in a more considerate manner.
Thank you,
Heather Zettler, Cargill
Editor’s Note: Organizers of the event were contacted, and stated that authorities, including police, had been notified well ahead of the event, and proper permits and approvals were in place.
