Several community partners and the city were recognized with special plaques at last week’s council meeting for making last year’s Canada Day celebrations a success.
All made financial donations, or in the city’s case – donated its facilities and shut down city streets – to pull off the weekend celebration.
Quality Foods donated $20,000, which includes funding for the annual Canada Day fireworks display, and has committed to the same amount for this year’s festivities.
Carol Chapman, who sits on the city’s Canada Day committee, said volunteers were kept busy throughout the weekend.
“We were very pleased to have an amazing Canada Day celebration,” Chapman told council at its meeting Feb. 18. “We served 350 meals (the night before Canada Day) and donated $1,800 to Cameryn’s Cause. We cooked 980 pancake breakfasts (the morning of Canada Day) and $3,400 was donated to the fire fighters muscular dystrophy fund.”
Canada Day also included a seniors tea, the Huck Finn fishing derby at the pier, as well as the Children’s Festival.
There were also belt sander races and the hospital bed race down Shopper’s Row which raised $8,500 for the Hospital Foundation, to go towards equipment for Campbell River Hospital.
The always-popular Canada Day parade attracted 10,000 viewers.
“We had all sorts of different characters in our parade and we did really good security with the parade this year,” Chapman said. “Everyone had a great time and there were no complaints.”
Special to the festivities last year was a delegation of ambassadors from Campbell River’s Japanese sister city, Ishikari. The delegates marched in the parade and participated in the weekend festivities.
As an added bonus, the Campbell River Canada Day committee also hosted the RCMP musical ride which entertained the masses at the Campbell River Trail Riders Association’s Equestrian Centre Aug. 10-11.
Chapman said all in all, the events were a success.
“Everything (was provided) to the people free of charge unless they wanted to eat,” Chapman said.
“Everyone was smiling.”
She said this year’s celebration promises more of the same.