The real story behind Christmas parade changes, Nov. 6, 2005

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 14, 2005

I need to correct an apparent misstatement in Friday’s

post about the Suffolk Christmas parade. That’s the danger of just reporting

what people say.

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I had reported that Parks and Recreation decided to change the traditional parade route so that it goes by the Hilton and, Riddicks, the Train Station, Prentis House, the car wash and other attractions

on that end of town the city is trying to promote. I wrote, actually

passed on from what people said at a Downtown Business Association meeting,

the reason for the change was a few reported altercations

during the Peanut Fest parade in October, that authorities felt they could better control people further down Main.

Not so, according to a source associated with the event.

They said the change in the parade route and time (It’s going to be a night parade this year), was initiated in January 2005, immediately following the 2004 holiday events. A city staff committee made up of representatives from police, downtown development, parks and recreation and tourism , the traffic engineer and others met to &uot;develop a more dynamic route and schedule for the enjoyment or residents and visitors.&uot;

I’ll buy that and officially

stand corrected.