While the Homecoming Parade route has yet to formally be announced, it should include more of Court Street.
This year’s Ohio University seniors could be the first in recent memory to never experience a Homecoming Parade down the entire length of Court Street.
The change to the parade route, which took place in 2012, had the procession going up Union Street from Factory Street and turning right on Court Street toward Baker Center. That is the route that students, faculty and residents have taken since the change — that is, until this year when the route will likely be switched due to the closure of a large part of Union Street.
State oversight has kept Union Street, in part, closed off since the fire ravaged several buildings last November.
The closing creates an opportunity the city and university should explore — bringing the OU Homecoming Parade back to its rightful place, Court Street.
Though the path was initially moved to accommodate larger floats and create a safer environment, according to a previous Post report, we have faith the participants, both in the street and on the sidelines, would gladly sacrifice a little space and fun to make the move back.
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The old route that includes more of Court Street did have its share of dangers — some felt people drunkenly stumbling out of the bars was not family-friendly enough for the event — but it kept the pulse of Athens in the parade.
Benefits far outweigh costs in this situation, and if Bobcats come together to create a safe and fun space the morning of the parade Uptown, then the annual tradition could better represent life as a Bobcat in Athens.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Emma Ockerman, Managing Editor Rebekah Barnes, Opinion Editor Will Gibbs and Digital Managing Editor Samuel Howard. Post editorials are independent of the publication's news coverage.
