City officials to let U. hold Skimmer

The successful appeal of a prior denial allows the event to go on April 10. A controversial history forced its hiatus for 26 years, but Skimmer will proceed as planned for the second year in a row, according to Junior Class President Lisa Marshall. Though city officials previously denied the Junior Class' request for a special events permit to hold Skimmer on the banks of the Schuylkill River April 10 -- citing problematic factors like underage drinking -- they have since accepted the Junior Class' appeal for the permit. According to Kevin Feeley, a spokesperson for Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, the city's two biggest concerns with the riverside party -- underage drinking and student safety -- are being adequately addressed by the event's organizers. Feeley said city officials have decided to move the event to the western side of the Schuylkill -- onto West River Drive -- to steer away from the heavy volume of traffic that is typical of Kelly Drive and to ensure student safety. "The location has been changed [from last year] and there are restrictions with respect to the consumption of alcohol, both of which were critical concerns for the city," Feeley said. "[Skimmer] is being done now in a way we think will allow people to have a good time and will protect public safety." The switch across the river will alleviate some of last year's problems, which included buses stopping to discharge students on Kelly Drive and students parking illegally on the street, blocking off recreational and bike paths. There were also safety concerns last year due to the traffic on Kelly Drive. By contrast, West River Drive is closed to traffic on weekends, eliminating the risk of students' being injured by passing cars. Special permission will be granted to the bus drivers to discharge students on West River Drive and adequate parking is located nearby for those students who drive to the event. To deter underage drinking, Marshall said that there are tentative plans for more activities this year, such as performances by student groups and tents featuring a masseuse and a caricature artist. And Feeley emphasized that the police will enforce the ban on underage drinking during Skimmer. "It's a simple matter of state law," Feeley said. "Underage drinking is not allowed." Feeley said that plans are in the works to create a standing committee of Penn students which would work with the Fairmount Park Commission every year to continue improving the event. In the past, Skimmer -- which was first held in 1949 -- has been characterized by rowdy behavior. The most infamous incident occurred in 1963, when several administrators were assaulted and the wife of a dean was knocked to the ground and trampled by students. During the event, a Volvo was pushed into the Schuylkill River and about 500 students broke into a brawl following a concert at Franklin Field, tearing down bandstands and setting several bonfires. Skimmer was then banned but returned in 1965 as a result of the efforts of then-Penn undergraduate Rendell. In 1972, the University and the City of Philadelphia banned the event after students allegedly injected oranges with 200-proof grain alcohol and swam alongside the men's crew boats.

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