Anti-G-8 summit activists have extended the deadline for cancelling their proposed "solidarity village" until Tuesday in the hope of finding a last-minute venue.
The activists had threatened to pull the plug on creating a peaceful protest village unless a site was granted by Friday afternoon.
"It's clear the city isn't making any promises, but we've been led to believe sincere efforts are being made to work with us," said Mike Desautels, spokesman for the Canadian Labour Congress. "The door finally seems to have opened, at least a crack . . . (so) we've decided to lift our deadline and give the city a few more days."
John Chaput, G-8 project manager for the City of Calgary, said he is trying to help activists find a location.
The city has already rejected applications to set up the solidarity village at Shaw Millennium Park or Foothills Athletic Park. It is still considering a request to use Edworthy Park.
Chaput said it's not up to the city to find a site for the protesters, and he added it will be difficult to find and approve a site by the Tuesday deadline.
"We're still willing to work with them," he said. "However, as much as we'd like to work with them, the onus is on the organizers to find a site.
"It's not the city's job to go out and try to find a piece of land for them."
Solidarity village is an anti-G-8 music and education festival planned to coincide with the June 26 and 27 summit.
Activists had originally hoped to set up their protest village on native land near the summit site in Kananaskis, west of Calgary, but that plan fell through in early May.
Since then, the activists have been scrambling for an alternative site in Calgary.
On Thursday, solidarity village organizers warned there could be "confrontations" during the summit if a site wasn't quickly found and approved by the city.
Mayor Dave Bronconnier responded by saying city officials would not allow themselves to be "bullied" by the activists.
On Friday, there still seemed to be miscommunication between the activists and city hall.
Desautels said he expects the city to help propose possible sites for solidarity village. Chaput, however, said the city's hands are tied until the activists bring forward new site applications.
Chaput suggested organizers consider renting private land, rather than depending on the city to provide access to a public park.
If no venue is found, Desautels said, activists will likely hold several smaller anti-G-8 events around the city during the summit.
Desautels said he could not guarantee the creation of a solidarity village would stop violence from occurring during the summit later this month.
"I don't think you can guarantee anything with the amount of people that are coming," Desautels said. "We think our idea of a solidarity village presents the least amount of risk to any sort of action."
The city's reluctance to provide a public site drew fire Friday from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.
The association said the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives activists the right to hold anti-G-8 rallies in city parks.
"We urge the City of Calgary to embrace the letter and spirit of the charter and to provide an opportunity for these groups to express their opinions peacefully in city parks," said John Russell, vice-president of the B.C. group.
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