Making the most of an unfavourable situation, the City of Williams Lake hosted its stay at home to come together Canada Day celebrations Wednesday.
Several community leaders and dignitaries sent their Canada greetings via Facebook video earlier today, followed by processions throughout the city beginning at noon.
Staff at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex organized three separate procession routes involving the Lakers Car Club, the Williams Lake Fire Department, RCMP and Central Cariboo Search and Rescue.
Inclement weather — in particular heavy rainfall throughout the day — however, put a bit of a damper on the processions.
The RCMP and Central Cariboo Search and Rescue procession — originally scheduled for two separate routes — combined into one, beginning from the CMRC, then travelling thorughout the city’s residential areas, before returning back to the complex.
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Starting at the Williams Lake Fire Hall, the fire department will travelled down South Lakeside Drive to Renner Road, followed Renner Road until Hazel Street at Spruce Hill Road. From there the procession continued down Juniper Street, rejoining South Lakeside Drive travelling to Highway 20 up to Fairview Drive. From there they looped at the end of Country Club Blvd., travelling to Westridge Drive via Highway 20 and to the end of Mandarino Place, and returned to Highway 20 via Westridge Drive and Eagle Crescent, back to Highway 20 and then the fire hall.
Unfortunately, due to unfavorable weather and with the safety of the pilots in mind, the City was forced to cancel its flyover for Canada Day, scheduled for 1 p.m.
Although the traditional event in Boitanio Park is cancelled due to COVID-19, the City is encouraging everyone to gather in small circles, hold barbecues in the back yard and test their general knowledge of Canadiana via video, posted on www.facebook.com/CMRCWL and the City website at www.williamslake.ca/CanadaDay.
Via the Facebook page, there are also several Canada Day-themed crafts taking place throughout the day.
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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