Terms to be Accepted for Using Wildwood Town Center

Wildwood city representatives hope to soon have a new policy for use of the city's town plaza area—a policy that makes firm the terms and conditions that have been shaping over the past two years when private event organizers request the Town Center.

Joe Vujnich, Wildwood director of planning and parks, in a Feb. 14 memo recommended the following six terms and conditions to the muncipality's Planning/Economic Development/Parks (PEP) committee members, who will be addressing them at the committee's March 15 meeting.

1. The city will be covered by an appropriate insurance policy of the entity to ensure it is indemnified from liability associated with it in any manner, within the reasonable limits allowed.
2. The city of Wildwood will be included on all promotional publications, press releases, and other materials indicating its support of the event.
3. The city would not be charged any costs for space at the venue, if it should choose to have a tent or booth for distribution of materials.
4. The city has the right to review and participate in the decisions relating to proposals for the use of its public grounds and sponsorships to ensure each is consistent with the goals and standards of Wildwood.
5. The city reserves the right to reject or cancel any permit applications for specified reasons, including but not limited to, inadequate preparation and planning of the event, inappropriate use of the area, activities contrary to their description on the permit, failure to meet the terms and conditions set forth in this policy or the permit, and/or public safety considerations relating to traffic and crowd control.
6. The use of the facility would require a permit from the departments of public works and planning, at no cost to the entity, which would list forth all of the requirements for the user of the public plaza and related areas, along with the expectations of the city relative to these items.  This permit, before approval, also would be provided to the St. Louis County Police Department-Wildwood Precinct for review and comment as well.

Renewed conversations about an official and current usage policy for Wildwood Town Center occurred when Jeff Ring, a former Wildwood resident and manager of Lukas Liquors in Ellisville, requested to be able to hold The Amazing Taste Event for a second year in Wildwood's Town Center.  This event is a major fundraiser held to support Angel Arms, a charitable organization that provides foster housing for children in various West St. Louis County locations.

Last year, The Amazing Taste Event was held in September.  The four-hour event draws approximately 800 participants.  While it originally was geared to be hosted in the open Town Center, it spontaneously was moved to the lower level of the city's parking garage due to rain. 

The event consists of participants purchasing tickets to be able to sample wines, beers and fingerfoods from various vendors.  Ring moved the event to Wildwood in 2010 after outgrowing the space behind his liquor store, where the event previously was held.

"The event last year was nominal in the amount of resources it required of the city to support it," said Vujnich. "The department had one employee there, along with a minimum of two police officers at all times. Besides this staffing, the city provided tents, tables and trash cans for the event. All in all, the liquor tasting was held without any issues, again notwithstanding the weather."

At the Wildwood Feb. 14 meeting, city council members unanimously approved the request to allow The Amazing Taste Event to be held again at Town Center, including $1,500 of city funding.  The event is slated for Sept. 18.