MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor William F. Martin, Jr.

                                    And

                        Members of the Lowell City Council

FROM:            Bernard F. Lynch, City Manager

DATE:             July 16, 2007

SUBJECT:       COUNCIL MOTION OF 3/20/07 BY COUNCILOR RAMIREZ

REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER TO CONSULT WITH THE DPD DIRECTOR AND THE SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR ON FEASIBILITY OF CLOSING PALMER STREET AND MIDDLE STREET TO MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC

Matt Coggins, DPD Director has met with Andy St. Onge, Special Events Coordinator and LZ Nunn, Executive Director of COOL to review the success of last year’s Summer Block Parties.  While the initial desire to make Downtown Lowell more “pedestrian friendly” was a wonderful idea, in the final analysis the cost of these Block Parties exceeded $35,000.  Costs included advertising, entertainment, DPW staff overtime and police details.

In addition to reviewing the costs incurred, we have spoken to several of the Downtown restaurants and cafés to gauge their willingness to share in the cost of the Block Parties if a second year was proposed.  There is not, at this time a willingness from the existing businesses to participate financially in a second year.  Therefore, the Division of Planning and Development does not recommend continuing the Downtown Block Parties.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.