Chippewa Falls Police Chief Wayne Nehring is behind the times. Though he believes he’s looking out for the safety of Chippewa Falls residents, he’s currently only acting as an obstacle to a fresh idea brought forth by forward thinking, community minded individuals.

Chippewa’s city council has been pitched the idea of closing one block of Bridge Street (a main one through downtown) from noon until 7pm on Thursdays, June through October, for a new take on their downtown farmers’ market – putting it right on the street among the business and pedestrians. According to the Chippewa Falls Main Street Association, the current market hosts about 26 vendors and sees roughly 300 patrons in a parking lot on the south side of downtown. Part of the reasoning for the move is to connect the market with the relatively new concert series they host in the Harmony Park Courtyard just off Bridge Street on Thursdays. All of this is an effort to create a bustling pedestrian mall of culture and commerce right downtown.

But Chief Nehring is displaying a particularly incorrect attitude towards the purpose of downtown streets, and had this to say in his letter to the council:

• “Although I appreiciate and actually agree with the concept, I do not believe it’s appropriate to take away the motoring public’s right and expectations to use the street for its intended purpose for the length of time requested.”

My jaw dropped. Viewing streets’ only intended purpose as a way to move motor vehicle traffic is part of what has made many American downtowns a joke. Streets are for the community, and motor vehicles are not the only (and certainly not the most important) user group. Stopping a potentially dramatic cultural advancement of downtown Chippewa Falls to heed the “motoring public’s right and expectation to use the street” would be ill advised, and quite frankly, just sounds fearful of change. Drivers: get over it. Chippewa residents: speak out in support of this street closure. You: let us know what you think.