The Summit to hold summit on Cruise Nights

by Larry Austin
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, September 28, 2006

Residents living near The Summit Mall will have a chance to air their views regarding the mall’s Wednesday Cruise Nights during a meeting with mall officials on Monday.

A public meeting is planned for Monday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. in the Mall Community Room at 6929 Williams Road.

“In response to complaints made to the Wheatfield Town Board concerning the Cruise Nights, we hope to hear from local residents about concerns, or even if they support the Cruise Nights,” Peter Green, events coordinator for The Summit, said in a press release Monday. “The decision as to whether we host these events again will be made based on this information and how we might be able to make Cruise Nights work for all involved – the event organizers, participants, our tenants and the mall’s neighbors.”

Green said representatives from the Cruise Night event and the mall event’s team, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department and the town of Wheatfield government have been invited to the meeting.

At a Wheatfield Town Board meeting on Sept. 18, residents from Williams Road and Brookhaven Drive complained of underage drinking, loud noise, and smoke blowing across Williams Road from the weekly event. In addition, motorcycles sped up and down Williams Road during the night, they claim.

Residents arrived at the meeting with photographs of past Cruise Night activities. Some photos showed thick white smoke from tire burnouts drifting across Williams Road. They hoped for action on their behalf by the Wheatfield Board.

Town Supervisor Timothy Demler told the residents the town’s actions were somewhat restricted Cruise Night because the mall is a private enterprise, but he added: “I told you two meetings ago that those weren’t going to be held there next year, so you can take that to the bank.”

Demler said his last official word from the promotor of the car show was that a change of venue for the Cruise Night was likely.