By Paul Gremmels

On behalf of numerous, concerned 

citizens and visitors   

I have been asked of late, by many local citizens and visitors to our community, about the Waterama parade. In particular, the current Waterama parade route. The question is; Why was the parade route moved out to the edge of town from the Main Streets of downtown and why was it never moved back?

First of all, a little history;  As most of you know, Waterama is a local festival established by a group of Glenwood business owners back in 1956. They smartly came up with the idea to draw people to Glenwood and showcase their businesses and our town’s amenities. The same holds true today.

The last few years the parade route has been relegated to the south edge of town. Because, in 2016-2018 we spent millions in tax dollars redoing Minnesota Avenue and Franklin Street. Everything from the water, sewage and electrical infrastructure twenty feet below the street to the decorative lighting at the top of the light posts. Benches, tables, bike paths, pedestrian walkways and landscaping including trees and rain gardens were all redone. The main streets of our town now look absolutely beautiful. And are well maintained by our city crews. Due to this massive and expensive undertaking, called “The Complete Streets Project” the Waterama parade was moved out of downtown while construction was ongoing. 

The parade route was never moved back.

It should be.

The original Grande Day Parade route, that for sixty years went down the main streets of Minnesota Avenue and Franklin Street, turning at Gilman’s corner along the oak lined North Shore Drive, past the band shell and finishing at the Lakeside Ballroom, showcases our town by going right through the heart of it. It brings people downtown and by using the major thoroughfares, funnels them to the city park area where most of the festivities of Waterama occur. The founders of Waterama planned it this way.

There has been resistance by the present Waterama committee to move the parade route back to the Main Streets of downtown. This resistance could be from a multitude of complacent reasons ranging from not wanting to change to worrying about a more complex route to not knowing the history of Waterama. Again, the present route was meant to be temporary, until the Complete Streets Project was finished.

So, in closing, let’s showcase our beautiful little town and new streets. Let’s honor the vision and the memory of our town’s past leaders. Let’s do the right thing. Bring the Grande Day Parade back to the Main Streets of our downtown. As it had been for sixty years. As it should be for the foreseeable future.