ASHLAND —
Friday’s storm damage has caused a Summer Motion commotion.
Festival officials delayed the opening of events inside Central Park today due to storm damage from Friday. However, the 10K race and the HeartChase will not be affected, nor will events scheduled for the Central Park Bandstand.
Events are expected to resume around noon inside the park, including the car show, craft fair, concessions, games and rides.
Summer Motion President Chuck Charles said officials need time to ensure the public’s safety from additional falling limbs and remove debris before events inside the park can begin.
“We'll still have an event. This is Summer Motion, we're going to celebrate,” he said.
A number of Summer Motion volunteers had a close call on Friday night when a large tree toppled near the concession stand and demolished a tent that organizers were using to store equipment.
Workers had been in the tent just moments before the tree fell. Volunteers were able to seek emergency shelter inside and around the back side of the concession stand, which was grazed by the falling tree. The tent, covering event decorations, prizes, golf carts and other items for Saturday and Sunday’s festivities in the park, was completely destroyed.
Volunteer Cade Mahan called the experience one of the most frightening of his life.
“The wind was blowing. We heard a tree down that way go, so we all made our way to the other side of the concession stand and inside. As we were standing there, we heard several more trees drop, and I am — myself and Pick — looking around the edge of the concession stand as I see the tree coming straight for us. We just kind of jumped out of the way as it smashed through our tent and destroyed pretty much everything in there. We might be able to salvage some things.”
"We're lucky no one was hurt,” Charles said. “It is only property.”
The storm brought down about a half a dozen other large trees in and around the park. One destroyed a Volkswagen Beetle promoting M&M inflatable and several more blocked pathways throughout the interior of the park. A falling limb also caused minor damage to a tent sheltering the arts and crafts vendors but no one was injured in that incident either.
Professional tree removers were slated to assess trees in the park early Saturday morning and begin to remove large limbs and trees in order for the festival to proceed.
“We want to make sure we do not have limbs that are just hanging on branches,” said Charles. “We have to make sure it is safe before we let people back in.”
“Public safety is priority No. 1 for us,” Mahan said.
CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.
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