The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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June 21, 2010

Van Buren Cruisers had a successful run

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Enid Police Department officials said they received no formal complaints about the Cruisin’ Van Buren event during the weekend.

Enid Police Department Public Inform-ation Officer Lt. Eric Holtzclaw said the department did not have any problems during the weekend with those who were participating in the nostalgic cruise.

Hundreds of people turned out Friday and Saturday nights to cruise up and down Van Buren in an event organized by Van Buren Cruisers, which began as an online social group. Van Buren was the popular strip for teens to cruise in years past.

Holtzclaw said a man involved in a single-vehicle crash Friday night told police he had been at the event earlier in the night, but police were unable to determine if he participated in the event.

“The general consensus was there was no problems at all,” Holtzclaw said. “Although there was some traffic, that was to be expected.”

Holtzclaw said well-organized events, such as Crusin’ Van Buren, have the full support of the police department. If the event were to grow, Holtzclaw said the department would ask organizers to work with police in reporting those in attendance who are breaking the law.

“We’re very supportive of any kind of organized community event as long as we can do it in a safe manner and make it a pleasant event for everybody involved,” he said. “If it would grow to such a size, organizers of the event would need to assists us in ensuring it’s a safe event for everyone, just like Tri-State and other events.”

Depending on how large the event grows, another need may be a larger place where the cruisers can all meet before scheduled events.

The weekend event drew hundreds of cars to Van Buren and surrounding locations.

The Van Buren Cruisers Facebook group has more than 1,500 members who joined to reminisce about their cruising days. The group consists of recent graduates and graduates from as far back as the 1950s. Organizer Darla Dalton Robbins, a 1989 Enid High School graduate, said one person came from Virginia to attend the event, and people from as far as Alaska and England have promised to attend next year.



Staff writer Bridget Nash contributed to this story.

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