It looks like the circus won’t be coming to town.

The Garden Brothers Circus will be travelling through Whitehorse this fall on its way to Alaska – but they will not be performing here as they had planned to.

The circus had a tentative rental agreement for Shipyards Park from Oct. 6-9.

That request was recently denied after the city reviewed it and determined the park cannot accommodate the circus’ needs.

Dick Garden is the owner of the circus based in Sarasota, Fla., and is convinced that animal rights activists are to blame.

“We’ve been through this in the U.S. a few times when PETA (the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and other activist organizations have infiltrated governments and determined what the masses can or cannot see,” Garden told the Star this week.

He noted they will be bringing horses, ponies and dogs on the trip north.

The 100-minute show includes motorcycle daredevils, a sway pole act, hand balancing act, acrobats and clowns, and an aerial production.

But Doug Hnatiuk, the city’s director of Community and Recreation Services, says that’s just not the case.

“I can safely say that there were absolutely no groups that had contacted the City of Whitehorse at all,” he told the Star.

“It just wasn’t a suitable fit at that location.”

Hnatiuk could not recall exactly what the needs were that could not be accommodated at the park.

Marc Boulerice, the supervisor of Parks and Community Development who made the determination, was unable to comment, as he is away from his office.

Garden was not satisfied with the city’s response.

“I think it’s a shame that we have to drive right through Whitehorse and the people of Whitehorse miss out on this great family entertainment.”

He said the circus will lose at least $50,000 from not being able to perform that weekend, and that its non-performances will be a detriment to Whitehorse businesses.

They have spent $25,000 renting tents and seating from Marsh Lake Tents & Events and an additional $10,000 locally for the performances, Garden added.

He believes he had a contract with the city to rent the park and plans to take action to either see the performances go through or regain his financial losses.

“We plan to use every legal means at our disposal,” he said. “It’s going to cost us money and they are going to pay for it.”

Hnatiuk, however, said the circus didn’t have a contract but a tentative rental agreement, which requires approval from the park supervisor after review.

Garden said his circus has been the biggest and best in North America since the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus closed in May.

Other circuses have visited Whitehorse, but performances have been rare.

In May 2015, the Family Fun Circus performed at Shipyards Park.

Another circus performed at Rotary Peace Park around 2000 and one played the Takhini Arena in 1989.

Rotary Peace Park is smaller than Shipyards Park.

Garden said when he approached the arena, he felt the response was cold, and he “got the impression they were being ruled by the animal activists.

“I would just like to have the opportunity to play in Whitehorse and get a chance to look at the smiling faces of the kids in Whitehorse and make sure they’re entertained to the max,” he said.

Animal welfare organizations have long decried animals performing at circuses as cruel, saying that training methods and keeping animals confined are abusive.

Garden believes animal activism shutting down performances and affecting government decisions is an affront to freedom of speech and the “biggest step towards communism.

“We’re really down on them, and they’re only down on us because it’s a form of raising money for them.”