Slide the City has slipped away – at least for this year.
The 1,000-foot-long water slide event that was scheduled to take place Aug. 1 on a blocked-off section of Franklin Street in Portland has been canceled, the organizer said in a news release issued Tuesday.
The Salt Lake City-based company provided no clear explanation but implied that it needed more time to court local businesses to participate in the event.
“Slide the City hopes to work with local businesses and vendors in the upcoming months to increase community involvement for next year’s event,” the release said, followed by a quote from company co-founder John Malfetto: “(W)e love to include vendors from the community to give the event more of a festival feel. We look forward to working with more local businesses for next year’s event.”
A Slide the City spokeswoman did not return calls Tuesday evening seeking comment.
The Portland City Council approved the event in April, noting that the city often closes streets for recreational events, and that Slide the City would attract visitors to Portland. The organizers had told city officials that the event would draw an estimated 2,000 to 5,000 people.
The giant water slide would have been located on Franklin Street’s northbound lanes from Cumberland Avenue to Fox Street. Traffic heading west on Fox would have been detoured onto Diamond Street. Eastbound traffic on Somerset Street only would have been allowed to turn right. Traffic would have flowed regularly on Marginal Way and Franklin Street’s southbound lanes.
Slide the City events involve thousands of gallons of water being poured down a vinyl track laid over a downhill street. Sliders ride inflated tubes down the slippery slope.
According to the organizer’s website, events also feature music, food and drinks. Participants pay as little as $15 for one slide and as much as $55 for unlimited slides.
The company had said that a portion of the proceeds would go to a local charity or the city, but it had provided no further details.
City Councilor David Brenerman said he had not been aware of the cancellation until the Portland Press Herald contacted him about it. He said it was difficult to tell from the news release exactly why the event was postponed.
“The important thing is they plan to do the slide event next summer,” Brenerman said. “It looks to be a unique and exciting type of activity for the community, and I hope it succeeds.”
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