INNISFAIL - The CP Holiday Train is becoming a tradition in town.
For the third year in a row CP's successful Christmas season program, which was launched in 1999 and has raised more than $12 million and 3.9 million pounds of food for communities along its routes in Canada and the northern U.S., will be visiting Innisfail.
The holiday train, a fundraiser for the Innisfail and District Food Bank, is scheduled to arrive in Innisfail at 1:15 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the 50th Street and Highway 42 rail crossing. Following a performance by award-winning country artist Dallas Smith and Canadian alternative rock band The Odds, the train will depart for Olds at 1:55 p.m.
Salem Woodrow, spokesperson for CP, said the holiday train attempts to reach as many communities as it can, and Innisfail has had the recent fortune to experience its holiday spirit “year after year, year after year and year after year.
“Yes, if we can come to Innisfail every year that is amazing because the train and the program is so sought after in the community. It is really wonderful that we can get to them year after year,” said Woodrow. “But one year we might switch it up and try to get to another community that is nearby, and bring the train to more food banks and more people along our network.”
With Mayor Brian Spiller scheduled to be away on that day, Coun. Mark Kemball, who will be deputy mayor next month, will be the town's representative to greet the holiday train.
“I look forward to it. The holiday train is fantastic. It is a fundraiser for the community because they raise money for the food bank, and it just gets everybody in the Christmas spirit,” he said, noting CP donated $2,500 last year to the food bank and the Christmas Bureau. “It sort of kicks off the Christmas season. It is here early enough that I think it could come to be a great event.”
In addition to CP's $2,500 donation last year, the event also collected 976 pounds of food and $600 in donations from citizens who came to great the holiday train.
“Innisfail's very supportive and the CP Railway has been wonderful,” said food bank coordinator Carole Sim last year.
As in years past, two trains will operate coast-to-coast in Canada and the U.S. under the Holiday Train banner, with about 150 shows held in November and December.
The train that operates primarily through the U.S. will launch in the Montreal area on Nov. 25, while the all-Canada train's first shows will come a day later, also in Montreal.
The U.S. train will complete its final shows in Saskatchewan on Dec. 15, and the final show of the tour will take place Dec. 17 at Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Salem Woodrow, spokesperson for CP
"Yes, if we can come to Innisfail every year that is amazing because the train and the program is so sought after in the community. It is really wonderful that we can get to them year after year."
