Organizers of an anti-G-8 "solidarity village" are eyeing a popular set of soccer fields beside McMahon Stadium as the stomping grounds for thousands of protesters expected to arrive in the city during the world leaders' meeting next month in Kananaskis Country.
In their continuing quest to find a home base, activists have applied to use Foothills Athletic Park for their three-day counter-summit to be held at the same time as the June 26-27 G-8 summit.
The city this week rejected the organizers' proposal to use Shaw Millennium Park downtown, but officials said they will help them find an acceptable location elsewhere.
"They have a right to make their views known and we'll do everything we can to facilitate that," said John Chaput, the City of Calgary's G-8 liaison.
"The city will work with them to find a site suitable for the kind of activities they're planning."
On Wednesday, the Alberta Federation of Labour applied to use the athletic park -- located just south of the University of Calgary between University Drive and Crowchild Trail N.W. -- as the outdoor venue for the solidarity village.
The village will be a public education and music festival featuring speakers from around the world and a concert by Canadian musician Bruce Cockburn.
The city vetoed the request for Shaw Millennium Park on 9th Avenue S.W. because of "serious" safety concerns.
Chaput said city officials felt it would be wrong for a crowd as large as 10,000 people to congregate in a concrete skateboarding park.
"Having so many people around cement ramps and half-pipes wasn't deemed safe," he said.
Foothills Athletic Park contains the Calgary Storm pro soccer club's home field at Foothills Stadium, three soccer pitches used by minor soccer teams and a track and field facility.
It is one of many city-owned venues that could host the counter-summit, according to organizer David Condon.
"We have a lot of people coming to Calgary and we need a place for them to gather, learn and discuss issues, and peacefully express dissent to the meeting in Kananaskis," said Condon, a member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Chaput said the northwest athletic park is a more suitable location than Shaw Millennium Park, but city staff are responsible for approving the request.
Users of the park, however, are worried a three-day camp will destroy the heavily used facilities.
"We're only allowed to use the fields for two games a day. Having tents and people running across them all day long for three days will be devastating," said Scott Maybee, program director for the Calgary Minor Soccer Association.
The association has more than 10 games scheduled for the soccer fields throughout the last week of June.
"It's the city's property and they can do what they want with it, but we're not crazy about it," said Calgary Storm chairman Michael Vandale. "I have my doubts our field would be in pristine position when these people leave."
Alberta Federation of Labour president Les Steel warned in a news release: "If we don't have an organized venue for events, people will be forced to take their protests to the streets."
But Mayor Dave Bronconnier was irate at what he called activists' "threatening tactics."
"We're not going to cave into any demands," Bronconnier said.
"They have to go through the same process that's available to every other citizen."
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