BELFAST, Maine — Next summer, the streets of Belfast may be briefly inundated with 2,000 cyclists from a Quebecois bike touring group who would like to camp overnight in the city during a weeklong loop through Maine.
Velo Quebec Evenements had asked that the city of Belfast write a letter of support for the nonprofit organization’s August 2013 Grand Tour of Maine, and city councilors responded with a unanimous “oui” at Tuesday night’s regular meeting.
City Manager Joe Slocum told councilors that the cyclists would like to set up a campsite at Belfast Area High School, book 150 local hotel rooms and use local vendors for catering. The cyclists would stay just one night in the city.
According to letters from other communities that have hosted the tour group, Slocum said, the cyclists leave the area in better shape than it was when they arrived.
In other business, councilors heard a brief update from Slocum about downtown parking concerns. Some businesspeople have been contacting city officials to complain that Belfast isn’t enforcing its $5 parking ticket law, he said. They also believe that when the law is enforced, people who work downtown simply shuffle their vehicles every two hours to avoid the ticket.
“I’ve talked to quite a few merchants,” Slocum said. “We hope to encourage cooperation to free up the choice spots as much as possible.”
He and Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden are looking into creative ways to solve the parking dilemma, Slocum said.
On Wednesday, the city manager said he planned to hand-deliver a letter to downtown business owners, employees and others outlining the problem and asking for help in finding a solution.
“Regulatory power to secure true two-hour parking compliance could be financially costly and really harsh, if that’s what it takes,” he wrote in the letter. “Heavy fines, towed vehicles, special enforcement efforts: there are a lot of really unkind possibilities if we can’t find other reasonable solutions.”
Additionally, councilors:
• Voted to approve amendments to city ordinances which address regulatory changes in the Belfast Inner Harbor.
• Approved waiving dock fees for the August visit of the replica of the HMS Bounty. The organization that runs the ship charges a $5 to $10 fee for visitors to board during the day.
• Gave the go-ahead for a new food truck business, called Good ‘n’ You, which will be parked at 39 Main St. and offer street food from all over the world at lunchtime.
Atleast somebody will be going to Belfast….LOL…
Lots of folks come to Belfast, we are happy to see them and their business is welcome too.
Knew I belonged when I looked around after Memorial Day and said: “What are all these people doing in my town?” Short answer: spending money.
George: bikes have right to use the road, by law. Do you really think all 2000 of them will be of the same stamina and skill that day, and arrive in a “pack?” Bikes take up a lot less space than RV’s and much less pollution. And the parking is easier too. If you get yourself “forced off the road” by bicyclists, maybe you need to take another Driver Safety course?
Just what we need, 2000 bicycles roaming around our roads in large un-passable groups screwing up commercial and business traffic for days on end. Local business makes a few bucks while the rest of us have to deal with these guys on the roads. I know, lets charge them a temporary bicycle license fee to enter the state. Perhaps make them buy riders insurance too for when some hapless driver gets forced off the road trying to avoid them. That way we get more for our hassle than a few sales tax dollars. Good grief!
I’m guessing you don’t own a motel or restaurant in Belfast.
with people like him its me me me an the heck with every one else
Bicycles and motorized traffic do not mix. This is particularly true for groups of bicyclist’s on the narrow secondary roads that we have around Maine. Furthermore, though these riders are bound to the same laws as motorized vehicles they are neither licensed nor tested to see if they know those laws. They rarely if ever get ticketed for not following the laws of the road. There is no age limit for driving a bike on our roads which in effect doesn’t demand a rider even be mentally developed enough to understand that a car can kill you if you pull out in front of it. They are not insured for damage caused by their mistakes. They impede the flow of traffic. This causes more accidents along with an increase in fuel cost’s as well as increased air pollution for all who must cope with them being on the road. If you want to ride a bike find a path through the woods or stay in your own driveway. At least until either the roads are designed and built to handle bikes (at great expense!) or at the least until riders are licensed, insured, held accountable for following the road laws, and their bikes are inspected.
The same can be said for people that don’t fallow the laws when they drive cars an trucks Those people that ride bikes also drive cars an trucks or did you not think of that ? Not insuard i believe there home owners insurance covers them . When you slow down while driving you save gas i know when i slow down i get 30 mpg in my car
So when someone rides a bicycle it causes more air pollution? And “when some hapless driver gets forced off the road trying to avoid them” – I do believe it is quite the other way around. In my experience, the CYCLISTS are the ones who know the rules of the road, while a disturbing number of MOTORISTS clearly do not. If you have a problem with the law, I suggest you make an effort to change it. Good luck with that. Until then, PLEASE drive safely around cyclists. You may hate cyclists as much as you please, but those folks who drive dangerously to “discourage” cyclists from using the roads will eventually get someone killed.
Wollydevil, you are talking about people breaking the law. I cannot address all hypothetical situations. Come on!
Stitcher23, when a long line of motorized vehicles has to repeatably stop or swerve to get around a bicycle, or more likely two or three bikes riding beside each other and won’t be courteous and pull over, then yes, after this happens a few times it does cause more pollution than the bikes save. Sorry but we do not agree on who does not follow the rules of the road. My experience is that bikes flaunt the law a much higher percentage of the time. As for changing laws, this and repeated comments on the issue of bikes on our roads, is my way of suggesting the general public rethink the idea of mixing 10 lb vulnerable vehicles traveling at 10 mph vs 2500 lb steel behemoths traveling at 3 – 7 times that speed. Finally, I do not hate bicyclist’s and in fact I am a former rider of many many miles so don’t make assumptions please. By the way, I do not threaten bicyclist’s with my car. Good grief! My experience riding as well as driving a vehicle literally for almost half a century have led me to the conclusion that I expound upon above and here. Bikes and motorized vehicles do not mix!
Judging by the response, you hit the nail on the head.
My guess is that George didn’t expect his opinion to be popular with most people who post here. Frankly I think he has a good point. Maybe you should actually read his comments. No, I’m not against bicycle tourism. But they can be a real pain in the tail. Particularly when they travel in packs such as attending the MOFGA fair. Very hazardous and, as George points out, there is no saving in pollution when you have hundreds or thousands of cars trying to avoid bikes.
Please,please,please!!!!! Post reminders about this all around town well in advance so I can plan an alternative route to work,play,shop, do errands etc for at least 2 days.