Pubdate: Sat, 20 Apr 2013
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2013 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: John Ingold
Page: 4A

POT SMOKERS WILL LAY OFF THE WET GRASS, ORGANIZER SAYS

The organizer of a rally expected to draw tens of thousands of people 
to smoke marijuana in Civic Center on Saturday says concerns about 
the event's damage to the park are overblown.

Rally-goers will lay off the grass, Miguel Lopez said.

"We know that we're heavily criticized, so we go out of our way to 
make sure the park is cleaned up every year," said Lopez, who 
organizes the annual April 20 pro-marijuana rally, known as 4/20, in 
Civic Center.

The event, which this year is surrounded by numerous other 
marijuana-centric parties and concerts, is expected to draw record 
numbers in its first occurrence since Colorado became one of the 
first two states in the country to legalize marijuana use for adults. 
Public consumption of marijuana - like what happens during the 4/20 
rally- remains illegal.

But some of the most vocal concerns about the event have come from a 
Denver city councilman worried about whether rally attendees will 
trash the park's snow-sodden grass. Councilman Charlie Brown has also 
questioned why the rally - which allows vendor booths-is held under a 
city assembly permit and not a festival permit. Assembly permits are 
used for free-speech rallies, and the city typically does not require 
damage deposits for groups that obtain them.

"That's going to be a soggy park come Saturday," Brown said this 
week. "I just think they could rip it apart."

But Lopez said 4/20 organizers have an insurance policy that will pay 
for any damage the rally causes to the grass or other park amenities. 
He said rally goers also usually stick to the park's paved pathways 
and congregate in the Greek Amphitheater.

He said a meeting with Denver parks officials helped ease concerns.

"They're really confident with us being really good stewards, as we 
have in the past," Lopez said. "We've always taken responsibility for 
our cleanup responsibilities."

Denver Parks spokesman Jeff Green said parks leaders met with Lopez 
on Thursday. He said the department will monitor conditions in the 
park and may fence off some areas if that's needed to prevent damage.

"The organizers and parks share the same philosophy," Green said. "We 
really want to protect the park but also make sure they can have a good event."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom