Greater Trail residents may have to wait another year before they indulge in mini donuts and elephant ears, win a prize at a ring toss, attend a parade or take a ride on a ferris wheel.
It may seem premature but at its Monday, Nov. 23 meeting, Trail city council cancelled Silver City Days … again.
After discussing the difficulties associated with organizing the 2021 Silver City Days (SCD), council unanimously chose to scuttle the festival, which usually runs the second week in May.
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“It’s disappointing,” said Coun. Colleen Jones, representative to the SCD Planning Committee. “Most importantly, we’re not going to know where the pandemic is next year at this time, and of course the health and safety of the community is our first priority.”
The last Silver City Days was scheduled to run May 6-10, 2020, but was cancelled as a response to the the COVID-19 lock down in mid-March.
Currently, the number of positive cases has been rising across the province forcing Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, to impose more restrictions on travel and cancelling all group functions, events, fitness classes and religion centered meetings.
The planning committee normally starts organizing as early as September/October, said Jones, but the current restrictions and ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic, made the planning process untenable.
“It’s hard to get commitments or secure any of the out of town vendors or entertainers for that and only because of the current situation. It was a big decision, like it was last year, it was hard, and we kept thinking, ‘Is there something else we can plan?,’ but really, there isn’t.
“They (the vendors, entertainers, and rides) have been closed, probably, since last year as well. So when you think about it, it’s such a big exercise in organizing and they have to be prepared and have the employees as well.”
Not even the potential rollout of a vaccine in the new year could alter council’s course toward cancellation.
“We thought of that too,” said Jones. “But it’s a big event for the City of Trail, people love it and it’s a really good economical boost for our little community and surrounding area.
“It is a tough one, but hopefully if there is a vaccination everybody can get it, then maybe we can come up with some great ideas to do something later on in the year.”
The councillor makes no assurances, but urges residents to respect all the protocols imposed by the PHO and wear masks indoors, in hopes for some better news down the road.
“I think it was the right choice. It wasn’t one we wanted to make, but right now it’s the right choice.”
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