A proposal for temporary gates in the area of Felix Street Square was brought before the St. Joseph City Council.

St. Joseph Mayor Bill Falkner said the proposal is by a group of downtown business and property owners and citizens who are wanting the gates as a safety precaution.

Falkner said the four gates would be a way to close off the streets from traffic around Coleman Hawkins Park during events.

“I think in the long run, what we’re trying to do downtown and bring in the music festivals that they bring in, it’s getting larger and larger,” Falkner said. “So we’ve got to have a way to protect the people that are down there because it spills out into the streets and when you’re walking from the businesses or walking just around, sometimes you don’t pay attention to the streets when there’s so many people there.”

Falkner says funding for the gates would be through a hotel motel tax coming from the portion from the downtown motel.

According to City Manager Bruce Woody, the estimated cost of the project is around $200,000.

The first reading of the proposal took place at the city council meeting January 2nd. The vote to approve funding will take place at the next meeting.