Neighbors, like us, I'm sure many of you remember what a lifesaver The Patio was during the pandemic. This 3rd place gave many of us hope in a time when we had none. The successor of The Patio was intended to be the Ferdinand Festival Street championed by the Friends of Ferdinand. After two years of back-and-forth, countless compromises, and far too many delays, it’s time to make our voices heard. Our community’s festival street (aka The Patio)—a vibrant, safe, and welcoming space the Friends of Ferdinand have been working so hard to bring to life—is now at risk of being canceled altogether. The Friends of Ferdinand need our help! A small group of connected opponents have caused the project to be relentlessly whittled down. Some are now pushing to cancel the project entirely in complete disregard to what community members want.

As dedicated residents, we’re fed up with these actions that disregard our needs and vision for Columbia City, OUR community as well as theirs. The time to act is NOW. Join us in demanding that the Ferdinand Festival Street be built!