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The Pittsburgh Great Race Is Cancelled
Due to a budget crisis in the city of Pittsburgh, the mayor's office announced on August 6 that the 2003 Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race will be cancelled.
In a press release regarding the cancellation, as well as numerous other cutback measures, Mayor Tom Murphy stated, "In arriving at these extremely unpleasant decisions, I have had to follow a simple guideline -- cut every function that we are not legally obliged to do or obliged by the necessity of basic public safety to do. Of necessity, we are cutting our support of some of our most cherished community activities, such as the Great Race." The Mayor's Office did state that those who had already registered would receive refunds.
The staff of Citiparks Office of Special Events, which organized the Great Race, were very saddened to see such a great Pittsburgh tradition not held this year. The Office of Special Events has been dissolved effective September 1, 2003. What this means to the citizens of the City of Pittsburgh is among other things: NO support for community Foot Races in 2004 (Greenfield Glide, Brookline Breeze, Run around the Square), NO 2004 Riverview 5K, and most importantly NO Great Race.
The Great Race attracted 10,000 participants last year.
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