Raymond Cantor, Allentown
I am writing to express my objections to the plans to hold the Freedom Fest at the Reed Park. Reed Park is clearly the wrong location to hold an event of this size. Because of the traffic, parking, and safety concerns this location is clearly unacceptable.
Let’s first dismiss the idea that this is a local event intended to benefit local charities. It is not and it does not. While Freedom Fest started out as a fundraiser for the Presbyterian Church, the church is no longer affiliated with the event and does not benefit in anyway, nor does any other community charity. More relevant is that this is not a community event. The sponsors refer to this as a “state” fair. They advertise on statewide radio stations and along major interstate highways. The website claims they expect 70,000 attendees over a six-day period. That is more than 10 times the total population of Upper Freehold and Allentown combined.
How will all these people get to the event and where will they park? We can expect over 4,000 cars coming into our community every night. There is essentially no parking on site. The result will be that our neighborhoods will be overwhelmed and jammed with cars looking for parking. The vast majority of these people will not be members of our community. Even assuming most people are well behaved, there is certainly going to be a percent of attendees who will not be. Do we really need this inconvenience and risk?
What about the traffic? Our local roads already have trouble with existing traffic. The fair also will be held in July, the height of shore traffic. Anyone who knows how our roads clog up can only wonder who would approve a statewide fair on a small local park without parking?
Tens of thousands of people coming into our neighborhoods, causing traffic jams, and taking over our community for a week surely poses unacceptable safety risks. Will ambulances and fire trucks have full access to our roads in case of an emergency? Will our children be safe walking outside or crossing our streets? We are not talking about a local event at a local park. We are talking about a major statewide fair being crammed into a residential park with inadequate facilities.
It is not too late to stop this event. Statewide fairs do not belong in community parks.
Raymond Cantor
Allentown

