Denver Direct: Tent State at City Park, Denver

by way of Dave Webster for CPWNA:

From: "Kuykendall, Helen - Parks & Rec"
Subject: Tent State University at City Park
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:38:

This message is to inform you that Denver Parks and Recreation is issuing an assembly permit to Tent State University, a group that plans to bring college students from across the country to Denver for an event at City Park, during the Democratic National Convention. After consulting with the City Attorney’s office it was determined the event qualifies as an assembly event that would fall under specific provisions of the revised municipal code. The event is planned for each day between Sunday, August 24 through Thursday, August 28 with approximately 20,000 participants and will be located in the vicinity of the soccer fields southwest of the City Park Pavilion. August 23 & August 29 will be the set up and take down dates.

Since it is the policy of the city to uphold free speech and assembly on city property so long as no laws or rules are violated, the assembly permit will be issued to Tent State University. However, due to a number of concerns about the event that were identified regarding disruptions from amplified sound and access issues during the event, a number of reasonable conditions were placed on the permit to strive for an orderly and organized event without adverse impacts on park resources, activities and operations. The conditions are listed below and the permit can be revoked if the conditions are not met:

a.. A detailed site plan must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
b.. A detailed plan for amplified sound (including location, date(s) and times) must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
c.. A detailed trash collection and removal plan (including recycling) must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
d.. A detailed sanitation (portalets) and drinking water plan must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
e.. A detailed plan of any planned vending activities must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
f.. A detailed logistics plan including set-up and tear down must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
g.. A detailed security plan including monitoring alcohol issues, camping after hours, etc. must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
h.. A detailed parking plan for both the public and event staff must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
i.. A detailed plan for notification of neighborhood organizations (City Park Alliance and Friends Groups, City Council, the Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, etc.) must be submitted, approved and properly executed.
j.. Other steps to abide by Parks and Recreation Department and City & County of Denver rules and regulations.

Adam Jung, the event organizer for Tent State University, has met with city staff and offered assurances of their intent to fulfill these conditions and promote a positive atmosphere around the event activities. He is planning to meet with neighborhood groups as soon as possible and is very open to suggestions and comments on their plans.

Below is the web link for Tent State University
http://www.tentstate.org/

Helen Kuykendall City Park Administrator

and from the Tent State site:

Come to Denver to end a war!

Tent State University (TSU) will be built this August outside the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. TSU will serve as an "alternative university," a space in which to experience real democracy, a staging area for actions and protests towards the DNC, a venue for musical artists, political theatre, and town hall democracy, multiple '"classrooms" to share and learn tactics and strategies to immediately end the war, and housing for tens of thousands of activists dedicated to holding the parties accountable.

Tent State University will host tens of thousands of activists. We are progressive democrats, greens, anarchists, students, socialists, soldiers, daughters, and brothers. While we may carry different ideologies or creeds, we are united in a firm determination to end this war.