Car cruise group looking forward to summer
Informal car cruises and gatherings held by a group of hot rod fans in downtown Butler on Friday nights last fall were considered fun and successful.
But chatter on social media about Cruisin’ Main Street Butler getting into gear this spring produced some unexpected consternation.
J.D. Thompson of Eau Claire, who organizes the cruises, said he received a call from a man who said the group couldn’t meet in the city parking lot on North Main Street without a permit from the city and having liability insurance. The man also told Thompson that the group wasn’t following proper channels.
“I said we’re just cruising and we can go elsewhere. He was screaming and yelling at me,” Thompson said.
The man also claimed to be sitting with Mayor Ben Smith while he was calling, Thompson said.
Smith said he recently found out about the situation and he hasn’t talked to anybody about the cruise or using the lot.
“I had zero conversations about it,” Smith said.
He said he is meeting with Thompson Monday and has learned that a group might be requesting to use the lot Friday nights this summer.
If a formal request (by another group) to use the lot is made and city council approves it at its meeting, the cruisers will have to meet somewhere else or use the lot on Saturday nights, he said.
The cruises were popular with car enthusiasts and the downtown restaurants where they stopped to eat. Smith said he would work with the group so it can stay in the city.
“I’m all in favor of the Butler car cruise. I like the fact that the car cruise is informal. It helps the city. I’m a car guy. My dad was going to bring the Chevelle we built together. I definitely want to work with them to find a place. They could have it Saturday and fill the lot both nights. Logistics is the problem — easy resolution,” Smith said.
Thompson said no one else used the lot on Fridays last year and some restaurants stayed open later than they usually do to feed the hungry gear heads. He said he is not aware of anyone complaining about the cruises and is looking forward to meeting with Smith.
“I just never saw a problem with it. No one was there on Fridays. We post it (on social media), visit restaurants. It’s good for everybody,” Thompson said.
He said he brings his wife and son with him in his 1967 Ford F-100 pickup that has been hot rodded with a 390-cubic-inch V-8 engine.
“It’s a lot of fun to drive and it gets a lot of attention,” he said.
The cruises got a late start last year. The first one, held in September, drew about 15 cars and the last one attracted about 100.
“It snowballed. There’s a lot of nice cars around here. Some over the top hot rods too,” Thompson said.
