A local organizing committee has been formed for Innisfail's Canada 150 celebrations.
Representatives from more than a score of local organizations attended a Community Services Standing Committee meeting at town hall on Jan. 11 to exchange ideas on what the town should organize, and when to hold events, for the country's 150th birthday.
The 45-minute meeting involved six community group representatives, which included representatives from the Innisfail and District Historical Village, the Innisfail and District Chamber of Commerce, Innisfail Parent Link Centre and the Innisfail Seniors Drop-In Centre, stepping up to form a special committee for the celebration.
Participants at the meeting noted there are many significant events already planned for June, notably the annual Innisfail Rodeo, the Spirit of the Sticks lacrosse tournament, high school graduation and a baseball tournament. The audience was also told other community groups, including the historical village and seniors drop-in centre, were also in the planning stages for their own events that could easily fit in with Canada 150 celebrations.
"We want to honour the past and come into the future of Innisfail, bring in some of the rural aspect," said Eileen Reid, program coordinator at the drop-in centre of her organization's plan to host an Old Time Fair. "We will have the growers come in and bring produce, have pie-baking contests, pickling, bringing in a petting zoo, maybe a pony ride.
"It would be things like that, that would honour the area and whole district, but again it's volunteers."
With events like that in mind there was considerable discussion about whether it was feasible to plan for a two-week celebration with an event every day for 15 days, that would lead up to Canada Day on July 1. However, getting enough volunteer support was a question mark.
"That is quite a long period of time. It is going to require quite a bit of volunteer participation in a large event like that. I guess if there are enough volunteers it is feasible. It is a lot of work," said Wong.
Following considerable public input, Wong noted that while there were plenty of events already planned on the weekends leading up to July 1, it might be more feasible to look at a one- or two-day event on the Canada Day weekend that the organizing committee could plan. He added committee members could also talk to other groups holding events in June about incorporating some aspect of Canada 150 celebrations into their events.
Wong said the town has budgeted $15,000 for Canada 150 celebrations, not including what is already budgeted for the annual fireworks display. He added there are also provincial and federal Canada 150 grants available, with the province making a maximum of $25,000 available to each municipal applicant.
"We don't have to apply for the funding in advance," he said to a question on whether it was too late to apply for a grant. "Once we get an idea on what we are planning and what kind of expenses we are looking to incur, then it will help us with an application."
He said provincial grant deadlines for Canada 150 celebrations would go into mid-December as it's expected many communities across the province will hold their celebrations after July 1.
The audience was told the Town of Innisfail will set up a calendar of events for the Canada 150 celebration on its website.
For more information on the town's Canada 150 celebrations and the work being planned by the local organizing committee, contact Wong at 403-227-3376.
Henry Wong, the town's director of community services
"We don't have to apply for the funding in advance. Once we get an idea on what we are planning and what kind of expenses we are looking to incur, then it will help us with an application."
