INNISFAIL - Dozens of people braved the frigid cold and chilling wind to experience the CP Holiday Train come to Innisfail for the third consecutive Christmas season.
Innisfail and area residents lined up near the tracks at 50th Street and 52nd Avenue in downtown Innisfail on Dec. 9 to see the annual holiday season event. This year the CP Holiday Train featured and all-Canadian musical lineup with Canadian country music star Dallas Smith and Canadian alternative rock band Odds.
The CP Holiday Train is an annual fundraiser for the Innisfail and District Food Bank.
The cold didn't stop people from giving this year.
"It's wonderful to see this many people out. We're a hearty bunch in Innisfail," said Carole Sim, coordinator for the food bank. "We're getting lots of food and cash donations as well.
"I'm grateful for all the people that have come out and all the support we're getting. It's wonderful," added Sim, noting it was the sixth holiday train to visit Innisfail.
"We started doing it every other year (in 2008) and now it's up to every year," explained Sim. "It has been here the last three years."
This year the train was about an hour late, arriving just before 2 p.m. It was scheduled to arrive in Innisfail at 1:15 p.m. and leave at 1:55 p.m. When asked, the RCMP on site that day stated there was a broken (rail) track, which caused the delay.
With the frigid cold, the delay was too much for some families. Many were seen leaving the area just as the train was arriving in town. One of them was Jen Malin.
"We got here about 1 p.m.," said Malin, hearing the train in the distance. "We're done. The kids are crying and they're cold."
One of the families that did brave the cold on Dec. 9 was also experiencing their first Alberta winter. Nicolas Vanwik, 10, was out with his dad awaiting the CP Holiday Train.
"We're new to the town so we wanted to come out," said Vanwik, adding that he and his family moved to Innisfail last August from South Africa.
It is his first Canadian winter. "It's cold," he said, noting what he was looking forward to the most. "The music. I like music."
They don't have a holiday train in South Africa, said Vanwik, adding that he has heard all about the Christmastime tradition and seasonal cheer it shares.
"It just brings joy to everyone.”
Carole Sim
"I'm grateful for all the people that have come out and all the support we're getting. It's wonderful."
