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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-26-26 Special Events - Final Date: August 26, 2026 Time: 1:02 PM – 1:32 PM Location: Microsoft Teams / Streets Conference Room Members Present: • Amy Roush • Brad Rohrscheib • Kyle Ludlow • Derek Erquhart Members Absent: • Coby Deal Agenda Items & Discussion Highlights 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 1:02 PM. Amy Roush, Brad Rohrscheib, Derek Erquhart, and Kyle Ludlow were present. City department representatives were also present to provide background information but were not voting members. 2. Approval of Minutes The committee considered approval of the August 12, 2026, meeting minutes. The chair noted that she had not personally reviewed the minutes and requested that a committee member who had reviewed them make the motion. A motion was made by Derek Erquhart and seconded by Brad Rohrscheib to approve the August 12, 2026, meeting minutes. Upon a vote of the committee, the minutes were approved. 3. Approval of Special Events CENTAUR RUN Date: October 3, 2026 Location: Starting at Howard Park continuing along Northside Blvd from E Wayne Street to Clover Street CITY OF SOUTH BEND IN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 2 The committee reviewed the application for the Centaur Run, a new 5K run and walk proposed for October 3, 2026. The committee initially had questions regarding the proposed route because the submitted map did not clearly indicate whether participants would use the roadway, sidewalks, or a combination of both. Members discussed how use of the roadway would affect street closures, police staffing, and traffic control requirements. Because the event organizer was not initially available to clarify the route, Amy Roush set forth a motion to table the application until the committee could obtain additional information. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib, and the committee voted in favor of tabling the event. Organizer Savino Rivera Jr. subsequently joined the meeting virtually. At the recommendation of Attorney Michael Schmidt, Amy Roush set forth a motion to rescind the previous motion to table and reopen the Centaur Run application for discussion. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib and approved. Savino Rivera Jr. explained that the Centaur Run was being organized in connection with Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., following the fraternity’s summer iWalk Challenge at Howard Park. The summer walks encouraged individuals, including beginning runners and walkers, to become more physically active. The proposed event would include a 5K run and a 5K walk, with an anticipated attendance of approximately 150 participants. The proposed route would begin behind the Howard Park lodge, proceed south onto S Saint Louis Blvd until it turns into Northside Blvd, and continue to a turnaround point near Clover St. After the turnaround point, participants would head northwest on Northside Blvd, cross the river at the pedestrian bridge south of Howard Park, travel north along the west bank of the river, and cross the river a second time using the sidewalks on the E Jefferson Blvd bridge. Participants would enter Howard Park from the Hill St entrance and travel along park sidewalks until crossing the finish line. The first portion of the run that follows S Saint Louis Blvd and Northside Blvd would be in the roadway, while the remainder of the run starting with the pedestrian bridge would stay entirely on pedestrian sidewalks. Savino Rivera Jr. requested a partial closure of Northside Blvd for approximately two hours. The run was originally scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the walk at 9:30 a.m. Committee members expressed concern that separating the start times by one hour would unnecessarily extend the roadway closure and the amount of time police officers would be required at the event. The committee suggested that the runners and walkers start at the same time or within several minutes of one another. Savino Rivera Jr. agreed to have the runners and walkers begin at approximately the same time at 8:30 a.m., with runners positioned ahead of walkers. This adjustment would shorten the street closure period and reduce operational concerns. The committee discussed the exact limits of the route with Savino Rivera Jr., who explained that a similar route was used in the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month Run, but that the addition of crossing the river would make up for the final kilometer previously ran on Northside Blvd. Committee members stressed the importance of having event volunteers stationed at the turnaround point, the entrance to the pedestrian bridge, and the finish line to direct participants safely through the approved route and provide water bottles to runners. CITY OF SOUTH BEND IN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 3 Following discussion, Amy Roush set forth a motion to approve the Centaur Run for October 3, 2026. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib, and the committee voted in favor of approval. The approved event will be forwarded to the Board of Public Works for further review. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH RUN (Tabled) Proposed Date: October 24, 2026 Location: Starting at Howard Park continuing along Northside Blvd from E Wayne Street to Clover Street The committee reviewed the application for the Hispanic Heritage Month Run proposed for October 24, 2026. Organizer Savino Rivera Jr. explained that the event would use the same route discussed above for the Centaur Run. He also agreed that runners and walkers could begin at the same time to reduce the length of any required roadway closure, just as was discussed regarding the Centaur Run. The committee advised Savino Rivera Jr. that the Breast Cancer Awareness Run had already been scheduled for October 24, 2026, and would also begin and end in the Howard Park area. Because of this conflict, the Hispanic Heritage Month Run could not proceed on the proposed date as submitted. Committee members reviewed other possible dates in October and discussed potential conflicts regarding police staffing, roadway closures, and other activities scheduled in or near Howard Park. October 3 had just been approved as the date of the Centaur Run in Howard Park. October 10 conflicted with a Notre Dame home football game, and the Stanley Clark Run 5K had been previously approved by the committee for October 17, both of which limited police availability for another 5K on those dates. October 31 was identified as a possible date, although it fell on Halloween. The committee noted that the event might have greater scheduling flexibility if participants remained entirely on pedestrian paths and sidewalks rather than using the roadway. Savino Rivera Jr. stated that the Hispanic Heritage Month Run had used the sidewalks during the previous year and that the arrangement had worked successfully. He agreed to reconsider the date and route based on the committee’s feedback. Amy Roush stated that city staff would review the Venues Parks & Arts calendar and coordinate with the organizer to identify an alternative date. Any agreed-upon date could then be submitted as an amendment to the existing application. Amy Roush set forth a motion to table the Hispanic Heritage Month Run application, which listed October 24, 2026, as the proposed event date. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib, and the committee voted in favor of tabling the application pending decisions made regarding rescheduling. OVER THE EDGE Date: September 30, 2026 Location: County-City Building - Main Street from W Washington Street to W Colfax Avenue The committee reviewed the previously-tabled Over the Edge application and discussed the outstanding documentation required for the event. Staff advised that the remaining item was a concurrence form associated with the use of Main St and the applicable state engineering requirements. Kyle Ludlow reported that the form was being completed and would be provided to the event organizers. Denise Miller confirmed that all other required application materials had been received. CITY OF SOUTH BEND IN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 4 Because the remaining concurrence form was expected to be completed and all other paperwork was in place, Amy Roush set forth a motion to approve the Over the Edge event for September 30, 2026, with the condition that Engineering provides the required concurrence form. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib, and the committee voted in favor of approval. The approved event will be forwarded to the Board of Public Works for further review. Organizer Julie McGill of the Youth Service Bureau later joined the meeting virtually and asked whether the event could be approved before the concurrence form was signed by the City. The committee advised her that the event had already been approved with the understanding that Engineering would provide the required form. Kyle Ludlow explained to Julie McGill that because Main St is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana Department of Transportation, the Youth Service Bureau would be responsible for securing an appropriate traffic control contractor and satisfying the applicable Maintenance of Traffic requirements. Julie McGill acknowledged this responsibility. The committee confirmed that an email would be sent to the organizer following the meeting to clarify state and municipal requirements for the event. BACK-TO-SCHOOL PICNIC (Tabled) Date: September 25, 2026 Location: Howard Street from Saint Louis Blvd to Saint Peter Street The committee reviewed the application for the Back-to-School Picnic scheduled for September 25, 2026. Staff reported that the application remained incomplete because the application fee had not been received and neighborhood signatures had not been submitted. The event organizer was not present to answer questions regarding the missing fee and signatures and the Committee agreed that the application should not move forward until the outstanding requirements were satisfied. The Committee noted that sufficient time remained before the proposed event date for the organizer to submit the application fee and obtain the necessary signatures. Amy Roush set forth a motion to table the Back-to-School Picnic application for September 25, 2026. The motion was seconded by Brad Rohrscheib, and the committee voted in favor of tabling the application pending receipt of the application fee and the required neighborhood signatures. 4. Other Business No additional business was presented for Committee action. 5. Adjournment The scheduled meeting ended and was adjourned at 1:32 PM. Prepared by: Denise Miller Department of Public Works – Streets Division