July 4 Parade Enthusiasts Ask Council for Chair Compromise

Council President John Bevec looked up during Monday's meeting to see a member of the audience still holding up a small plastic child's chair adorned with a cardboard sign that on one side read, "It's Tradition."

The other side read, "Save the Chairs."

"You gonna hold up that chair all night?" he asked the man with a smile.

"I'm gonna try like hell," resident Joe Horvath retorted—eliciting a guffaw from those in attendance.

The conversation came after several audience members stood up to address council, most asking members to reconsider a

Council made the decision last month, —some blocking off large spans of sidewalk space with rope, twine or caution tape, causing what borough officials deemed a safety issue.

Kate Speer had earlier to reconsider the decision—one that was signed by more than 200 people.

"We, the residents of Canonsburg Borough and local communities in the surrounding areas, understand the need for public safety, but we would like to see the chair tradition carried on as well," the petition read. "(We) would like to see a compromise made to allow the chair placing tradition to continue safely. With that in mind, we would like (the borough) to revise the placement of the chairs to be either 24 or 48 hours prior to the start of the parade with safety restrictions (the item placed must be a chair, no ropes, no chains and no caution tape."

It continued: "We would also like the council to consider the chaos that could potentially happen at 6 a.m. on the morning of July 4th if thousands of eager citizens will be trying to get a spot at the same time."

Other speakers echoed the point: While public safety is an important issue, a compromise would be appreciated to continue what they called a long-standing tradition.

Mayor David H. Rhome told council that he had received 35 phone calls on the matter and had received visits from 20 other concerned residents who believed the same thing: That while public safety is a definite concern, allowing chairs to be placed out a day or two in advance would be preferable.

"Forty-eight hours is a good compromise," he said.

Bevec said that the subject could be brought up at next week's meeting for a vote if a member of council asks that it be reconsidered.