Sure, it was disappointing, but nobody could fault Fraze management for making the call as winds measuring more than 50 mph roared through town, knocking out power to some 16,000 homes.
It was the demise of the Sidewalk Society that really made me sad.
It’s one of the fun traditions of summer and part of the identity of Kettering. I enjoyed passing them on my way to concerts — they gave me the same sense of a tight-knit, fun-loving community as the annual Labor Day weekend Holiday at Home parade. It reminded me of the way city officials touted the project in the late ’80s, promising it would be Kettering’s own “tavern on the green.” Nearly $2 million in city funds were expended on the construction of the Fraze, while donations totaled $2,844,092 — a big chunk of that from the family of inventor Ermal (“Ernie”) Fraze.
This summer the sidewalks are tightly roped off with signs warning “No trespassing beyond this point.” Even cars can’t pass through on Lincoln Park Boulevard unless they’re heading to Norton’s Sports Bar and Grille, upon which they’re plastered with a blue “N.”
True, nonticket holders can still spread their blankets on the Fraze commons near the fountain or in the park behind the stage; but for many former tailgaters, it’s simply not the same. Ken Hambrick of Kettering said the sound at the commons is drowned out by the fountains. But, he said, that’s not the real loss: “It was a real community. Typically, we would go with my brother and his wife and maybe some other couples. We called it ‘tailgating at the Fraze.’ We would bring trash bags to clean up afterward. I never observed any problems. We’re well-behaved. Give me a break — we’re senior citizens.”
At the May 15 Gregg Allman concert, Hambrick and his wife, Cindy Warner, tried to recapture the magic. They listened to most of the concert in their van, parked near Norton’s. It wasn’t until they moved outside the van, swaying to the music, that Kettering police politely asked them to leave.
They didn’t argue. The rest of the Sidewalk Society seems to have gotten the message, too, as Fraze staffers and additional police patrol the perimeter for interlopers.
Prior to the change, according to Kettering police officer Michael Burke, “Each year we had a minimal amount of cases of public intoxication and disturbances.”
Fraze General Manager Karen Durham said the policy change was instigated by complaints from property managers and residents, as well as safety concerns because of the sheer numbers of people on the sidewalks. “We were concerned about a child getting hit by a car,” she said.
She said there have been no arrests as a result of the new policy and few complaints from citizens.
Observed Kettering Mayor Don Patterson, “When you explain that we were acting at the request of the property owners, most people are pretty understanding.”
Entrepreneurship, at least, is alive and well. Norton’s, a relative newcomer to the neighborhood, charged $10 for admission to their patio only a few yards from where the masses once listened for free.
By 7 o’clock, the patio is sold out, and Rossi Bozue of Fairborn and her daughter Marissa, 21, can’t get a seat. “We hate it,” Bozue said of the policy change. “We used to come out here all the time. It’s more social than being inside, and we brought our blankets and snacks and our puppies.”
Added Marissa, “It was a community.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2209
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