SPRUCE VIEW – After four decades, the annual the Spruce View Canada Day parade may be in jeopardy.
“This will be the 40th year for the parade. It started off 40 years ago with a couple of kids decorating their bicycle and riding down the street on Canada Day,” said Sandy Smith, Spruce View Canada Day parade organizer. “Now we put on a half-hour long parade.”
Over the years the parade has grown and today includes about 70 floats and participants, noted Smith, adding that with that growth has come the need for changes.
Those changes include safety and organization rules as per provincial and county regulations.
“Last year is when a whole bunch of rules and regulations came in with the department of highways (government of Alberta) and Red Deer County,” said Smith. “Two years ago we had a small incident where we needed to get an ambulance in and it was almost impossible,” she added, noting they were told they could not shut down Highway 54 without the necessary permits and regulations.
“Safety is a big issue when you’re doing a parade,” said Smith.
“They required an emergency access through town in case an emergency vehicle had to go through. We ended up putting in an emergency lane through the Co-op lumberyard. There’s a gate at each end.”
Smith said with the new regulations in place they will need to double the number of volunteers for this year’s parade, from 20 last year, to about 40 this year.
One of the first orders of business, she said, was to establish a Canada Day parade committee and organization.
“We need to organize a non-profit society,” explained Smith. “We need volunteers and we need organizers. Right now our main concern is trying to get a non-profit society (created) and getting enough directors on that (board) because that’s a three-month application process, she added. “It will take at least that long with the government to get our status as a non-profit society.”
Volunteers will include several positions as board of directors with the non-profit society, workers to help organize the parade, including helping maintain a clear emergency route through town, a safety officer, a parade marshall, ensuring street corners are barricaded off during the parade, shuttling visitors from parking at the school to the parade area and communication officers to ensure parade operations and communications on the day of the event.
Smith said the county has been supportive and helpful in assisting them with requirements for the annual parade.
Dave Dittrick, assistant county manager with Red Deer County, said the Spruce View Canada Day parade is still being planned. He noted the group’s challenge in finding the required number of volunteers for the event this year.
“Community Services has reached out to the committee to see if there are ways we can assist them in promoting volunteer participation for the event and will work with them,” said Dittrick.
He also noted that the county has been working with Spruce View parade organizers.
“Every public event you always have to have an emergency plan,” he added. “I think our staff is willing to work with everybody in the process of coordinating the public event and helping with the event permit.”
If things are not completed as per new regulations, there is a chance that after 40 years, the Spruce View Canada Day Parade could be cancelled, said Smith.
"That’s why we’re putting the call out now that we need directors and we need people to start organizing it now, and start the training,” said Smith, noting the community support over the years.
“The community has always stepped up to assist so I’m sure they’ll do it again,” said Smith. “We just need to let everybody know there’s so much more involved now.”
For more information or to volunteer with the parade, contact Sandy Smith at (403) 358-0267 or via email at [email protected]
