Feeling Strong Against Fairgrounds As Show Site

Sentiment against the use of Veterans Memorial Park (formerly the Fairgrounds) for circuses and carnivals is running high in Ann Arbor, according to Mayor William E. Brown, jr.

The mayor, who has declared himself strongly opposed to the use for such purposes, said he has received a great number of phone calls from residents objecting to the use.

Action by the City Council on a resolution that would deny the use to carnival and circuses was delayed earlier this month. At the last meeting of the council, May 16, the proposal was not considered.

Shortly after the May 5 special meeting, when the proposal was tabled, the Ann Arbor Junior Chamber of Commerce launched a protest against the measure.

The JCC contends that the move, if approved might effectively prohibit the JCC from holding its annual Merchants, Builders and Automobile Show, which closed May 15.

Since then petitions have been and are being circulated in the vicinity of the park opposing its use by carnival and circuses.

Commenting on the objections to the use, the mayor said, "I think some of the housewives in the vicinity might march on the City Council with brooms and ball-bats."

He said such use might have been all right when the property, taken over by the city last year, was a "cow pasture."

Brown continued that he thinks the park now should be used for more dignified purposes.

The JCC and the Optimist Club, planning a circus on the site June 2, were given permission by the council to hold their events this year because plans already had been made for them.