The Springfield City Council approved a request for an outdoor dance event on Nov. 1.

Jackie Tyre said the event, a country and western dance, will be held at 102 N. Laurel St. on the back vacant lot of the property. Tyre, who originally asked for permission to hold the event on Oct. 31, said the group wants to put up a temporary barrier around the lot, limiting access and exits.

“We’re going to have non alcoholic beverages, punch, sodas, water, small finger foods, and we’re hoping to have square dancing represented, a little ballroom represented, line dancing represented,” she said. “We’re looking to the possibility of getting some live music if we can. If we can’t, it will be recorded music, and just have an open air dance party basically.”

Council member Kenny Usher said he thought it sounded like a great idea. He said the only problem he could see would be security because the police department would be “stretched out pretty thin” on Halloween.

Police Chief Paul Wynn said the police department would not be able to provide security on Halloween. Usher asked if Tyre would be OK having the event on Nov. 1 and she said that would work.

“This is something we would like to do on a quarterly basis,” she said. “This is something we’re trying. We’re trying to find a way to do it in a neighborhood friendly way, so that everybody can enjoy it, but we don’t impose on other people with what we’re doing. It’s an experiment for us right now. We would like to gather input on making it a regular or semi regular activity.”

Tyre said they are hoping for about 80 to 100 people to attend.

“If we have that many, we’ll consider it a fantastic success,” she said. “If we have 50, we’ll be elated, but we’re going to have the ability to provide for that many. Our target is about 80.”

Mayor Barton Alderman asked about the proposed time from 8-11 p.m.

“This is until 11 p.m. — it’s right in the middle of the city,” Alderman said. “How loud will (the) music be, and I know loudness is relative.”

Alderman said he made the comment because of the proximity of neighborhoods to the event site.

“I was just a little concerned about keeping people awake until 11,” he said.

Tyre said the time was placed thinking there may be a curfew time, and not being aware of the exact time for gatherings in the city. Tyre said there will be amplifiers involved but they don’t plan on having them loud enough to be heard at the courthouse.

“We would like to maintain what we’re doing within our block area,” she said.

Tyre said the residential neighborhoods were taken into consideration in the event planning.

Council member Max Niedlinger asked if the group would be interested in hosting a twist party.

“Absolutely, we can do that, too,” Tyre said. “Basically what we’re interested in is folk dancing. We’re working with the Ebenezer Alive program at Ebenezer, and we’re working with folk dance. We bring out all the old stuff.”
 
“If we have our music actually backing that direction and actually moving towards the road, in other words all of the speakers would be pointing (toward Laurel Street) away from (the neighborhood behind the event). I don’t think we have enough reverb on the street to send it bouncing back to them. I think that would help muffle the sound, and we were also looking into the thought that draperies, which was the confinement I was referring to, would help also make a barrier between what we’re doing and the residential side of town.”

Kieffer asked if they already have a business license since the event profits would go to the Tyre family business.

Tyre said they purchased a business license, and are talking with Building Inspector Wendell Arnsdorff about having electricity at the site due to the old wiring at the location.

“We’re talking with electrician about updating the services going into the building, but that may not be available by the end of this month that is something we’re working on currently,” Tyre said.

Kieffer asked what Tyre planned to do about electricity for the event.

“We are talking about a generator,” she said. She said there is time to get it the job done if they can meet the parameters the city sets.