Call it Solidarity Suburb.
G-8 summit activists, shut out of Kananaskis, are now fighting to relocate their Solidarity Village to Calgary.
The activists want to use the Shaw Millennium Park in the city's downtown to hold a massive gathering against globalization during the June 26 and 27 summit.
City hall officials say bylaws ban protesters or others from holding "political rallies" in Calgary parks.
But local activists say Calgarians have "nothing to fear" from Solidarity Village.
"There's nothing to fear at all, other than education," said activist Sarah Kerr. "Our vision . . . is a festival that involves both music and educational opportunities. A place for people to hang out in the grass, drink lemonade, hear a speaker, listen to music, hear another speaker.
"It would include activists, academics, journalists, farmers, the whole bit . . . much in the line of a folk festival."
Activists have for months been searching for a home for Solidarity Village -- a proposed "community of resistance" against the G-8 summit.
The activists had originally hoped to create their protest camp near the summit site of Kananaskis Village, but were unable to secure land in the area.
The activists say they have now applied to the City of Calgary for permission to hold their Solidarity event at Millennium Park -- but city officials say they haven't received any such request.
"I can tell you with authority we have not had any request . . . for anything like this," said Peter Brodsky, spokesman for Mayor Dave Bronconnier. "(And) because this constitutes a political rally, Shaw Millennium Park would not be available for this purpose. So, had the application been made . . . it would likely have been turned down."
Kerr said it's clear the lines of communication have broken down between activists and city hall.
She said local activists will try to meet with city officials in the coming days to better explain their concept of Solidarity Village.
"We need to sit down with the city and explain what this festival and teach-in will look like," she said. "It's a great opportunity for Calgarians to get an international perspective on these issues."
Some activists will likely be disappointed to learn Solidarity Village will not be located near Kananaskis.
However, Gordon Christie, spokesman for the Calgary District Labour Council -- an official backer of Solidarity Village -- said there are many positives to holding the event in Calgary, including the ease of access for activists, and increased media exposure.
"It would have been nice to have it in Kananaskis, but, quite honestly, this shouldn't affect us at all," Christie said.
"I would just as soon go to the city of Calgary as Kananaskis. The point is, we are going to have a Solidarity Village."
Christie said it could cost a "couple hundred thousand bucks" to hold the event, with funding coming from labour unions and several national social justice groups.
Activists had hoped to set up camp at the Stoney First Nation near Kananaskis, but could not get permission from the local band council. Plan B was to rent farmland near Highway 22X, but that location was ruled out as well.
Moving Solidarity Village to Calgary would present challenges for both activists and police.
The original plan called for up to 10,000 protesters to camp out at the Solidarity site near Kananaskis.
Holding it in Calgary would force the activists to find other accommodations.
Meanwhile, an influx of thousands of protesters into Calgary would heighten security concerns for police.
Calgary Police Service Insp. Al Redford said Tuesday he was unaware of the plan to move Solidarity Village, but added the police "support the right to peaceful protest."
Bill Moore-Kilgannon, a spokesman for the Council of Canadians -- another backer of Solidarity Village -- says Calgarians will warm to hosting the event when they learn more about it.
"When people hear the lineup of musicians and speakers we've got coming in, they will want it to happen in the city," he said. "You don't have to worry about problems."
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.