Organizers of a planned "solidarity village" say they're becoming frustrated in talks with the city as they attempt to find a location for the festival during the G-8 summit next month.
On Tuesday, the city ruled out the use of Fort Calgary or Shaw Millennium Park.
"There's going to a large influx of people coming to Calgary to voice their dissent on the G-8," said Mike Desautels of the solidarity village steering committee. "We want to work with the city to find a place for that dissent to take place in a safe, peaceful manner."
The city has pledged to work with the group, but time is running out. Desautels said organizers are concerned about the consequences of failing to reach an agreement.
"I suspect people will claim their own space," he said. "That will bringing about unneeded confrontation."
John Chaput, the city's G-8 project manager, said the administration is worried about security given the undetermined size of the crowd that might attend the education and music event, timed to coincide with the June 26-27 summit in Kananaskis.
Organizers say 5,000 to 15,000 participants are coming from across North America.
Chaput said organizers can reapply for approval of another location.
"It's to our mutual advantage to find a solution acceptable to both parties," he said.
A G-8 security spokesman said there would be no security risk regardless of whether village organizers find an officially sanctioned site or choose one unilaterally.
"It doesn't really raise a concern. In the context of security planning, we have to be flexible and take situations into account," said Calgary police Insp. Al Redford. "We have contingency plans we considered long ago. We'll deal with the final outcome, whatever that is."
Rumours that University of Calgary land will be used for the festival are unfounded, said Bill Warden, co-ordinator of university G-8 activities.
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