People coming downtown to watch the Rotary Daybreak Stampede Parade Saturday morning should be aware that there won’t be as many parking spaces available in Boitanio Mall this year as there has been in other years.
Boitanio Mall manager Jeanette Tuerlings says the mall parkade is currently closed to all traffic and there won’t be any parking behind the mall due to construction happening in that space.
There are several alternative locations suggested for people to explore, including parking along Carson Drive and in the Lake City Secondary Williams Lake Campus parking lot.
There is also parking in the Oliver Street Bar and Grill parking lot and the vacant lot adjacent to this site as well as across the street on Mackenzie Avenue with two big parking lots on either side of the Station House Gallery. The Stampede Grounds also provide lots of paid parking opportunity.
The Sacred Heart Church upper parking lot and school parking lot will also be available.
Volunteers will be manning the barricades set up around the marshalling areas and parade route.
People will only be able to turn right at the bottom of Carson as the front and back lots at the Cariboo Memorial Complex will be the staging areas for the horse entries.
First, Second, Third, and Fourth Avenues will also be blocked off for parade marshalling between Comer Street and Proctor Avenue for parade entry marshalling and also at key points along the parade route which includes Fourth Avenue, Borland Avenue to Eighth Avenue, Oliver Street to First Avenue and up First Avenue to the exit point at Comer Street.
“The parade is a totally volunteer run event so please be respectful of the volunteers providing direction at the barricades,” asks Daybreak Rotary parade committee member Lori Macala.
Oliver Street will continue to be blocked off between Mackenzie Avenue and Fourth Avenue for the annual Stampede Street Party as well as portions of some side streets inbetween.
First Avenue South between Oliver and Yorston will feature children’s activities. Second Avenue North between Oliver and Borland will feature the Lakers Club car show.
There will also be an entertainment stage at Second Avenue South blocking the exit to the Shoppers Drug Mart mall but leaving the southern entrance open.
Fourth Avenue South to halfway down the block will also be blocked off for activities as well as the Mart Street entrance to Oliver Street by city hall.