Tunes among the trees

http://www.dailycourier.ca/stories.php?id=57153 By DARREN HANDSCHUHTuesday, July 31, 2007

The Mess opened the Tuesday In the Trees weekly entertainment at Cenotaph Park Tuesday, the first of many acts to perform in the downtown park. The ongoing entertainment is a project by the Downtown Vernon Association and different acts will be featured each Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park. Only a handful of people were at the park for the opening song, but as the band played on more people trickled in, lured by sounds and the shade provided by the large trees. Alicia Kay, with the DVA, said the entertainment will cover everything from live bands to kids‘ shows to theatre. “People can come to the park and be guaranteed something is going on, unless it rains.” She added if an event is rained out it will be rescheduled. “We have a beautiful park. In the heat of the day, you can come into the park and still be cool.” The concerts are also aimed at getting people to return the park which in the past has been plagued by drugs and other unsavoury problems. Kay said the DVA, police, city and bylaw enforcement have “done a lot of work” to make the park safer and more inviting to the general public. “We want to welcome people back to using it on a daily basis, whether there are events going on or not,” she said. The Cenotaph Park event differs from the DVA Civic Sounds concert series in the fact the Cenotaph events will provide a variety of entertainment. Civic Sounds, held every Thursday in front of the library, features strictly music with a variety of local groups performing. The Cenotaph events also received some funding from Greater Vernon Services. For more information on both events, go to the DVA website at www.downtownvernon.com.