Community Corner

Exotic Car Show Planned for End of April

Downtown agency postpones car show to support Cacciola non-profit.

The Downtown Westfield Corporation's long-awaited new car show will have to wait another year, as the DWC has decided to delay their show in support of the planned Westfield Neighborhood Council exotic car show.

The Town Council last week approved the WNC's request to host an exotic car show downtown on April 18, with a possible move to May 2 if needed for planning purposes. The show was heavily debated earlier this month, when there was thought it would be similar to the new car show the DWC was planning for October.

WNC board member Mary Withers explained to the Council that the non-profit organization wanted to bring a series of exotic cars, including high end sports cars into the downtown for the show. The group is working with dealers to bring the cars in for the show and plans on bringing 50-60 cars into the train station parking lot at the intersection of North Avenue and Central Avenue.

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"The reason we want to do the exotic car show is to give the community a chance to see these cars," Withers said. "The neighborhood council is in financial dire straights. We are no longer funded by the United Fund."

The Council had been cautious when the WNC's plan was viewed as a new car show. A new car show has not been held in town in years and the DWC was planning a show for October, having delayed one planned for last October. The DWC's show was met with early resistance from the Council, with concerns over whether the show could make the south side train station parking lot look like a car showroom. Only Councilwoman Vicki Kimmins remained in opposition to the downtown agency's plan, saying of the new car show, "it's tacky." The Council had thought two new car shows in one year would be conflicting and noted they expressed support for the DWC first.

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The DWC has informed Town Administrator Jim Gildea that they have been communicating with the WNC and plan to postpone their show and work with the neighborhood council. If the May 2 date is used, the exotic car show will occur the same day as a sidewalk sale in the downtown, which pleased Council members.

"It seems to me that this is a preferable event, I am inclined to look favorably on it," Councilman Dave Haas said. "With the sidewalk sale day there will be more foot traffic downtown and this will complement it.'

The town will likely set aside a number of the spaces in the corner lot for the car show and reserve spaces for the residents who have parking permits for weekend parking in the lot. Downtown employees who park in the lot on weekends will likely be redirected to the lot on the South Avenue side of the train station.

Kimmins, who represents the neighborhood council, asked if it was possible to have a police officer stationed at the intersection of North and Central to prevent children at the car show from wandering into the busy intersection, which only has a barricade for part of the underpass. Gildea said the WNC will be working with his office and the police department to determine a plan for the event and decide if extra police protection or a temporary fence is needed.

The WNC is a social services non-profit organization that focuses on the Cacciola neighborhood. The group sponsors a summer camp, after school programs and social events in the community. The group's main source of funding for years had been the United Fund of Westfield, which pulled the grant several years ago. Since the United Fund's decision, the WNC has used street fairs as a revenue source. The WNC is moving from two to three street fairs this year.

"This is a great effort and I support the work you do," said Councilwoman Joann Neylan, who represents Cacciola.


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