Duane Hicks
With the 53rd-annual “Parade of Lights” coming up on Saturday, Nov. 26, organizers are looking to the public to see if they should change the route this time around.
Brenda Kellar, of Causeway General Insurance Brokers Ltd., said it’s possible the parade may start at the town parking lot behind St. Mary’s Church, proceed down Victoria Avenue to Front Street, and head east along the waterfront before disbanding at the Sorting Gap Marina.
This is in contrast to recent years, when the parade has started at the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau (old CN station), proceeded down Central Avenue to Scott Street, and then headed east to the Memorial Sports Centre.
Kellar said the idea of changing the route was first suggested last year and she’s kept it in the back of her mind ever since.
“We’ve been kind of tossing around the idea,” she noted. “I know in the past, it was organized before us by the BIA and I don’t know how the downtown businesses may feel.
“But not a lot of them stay open,” she reasoned.
One major benefit of the route change would be that extended care hospital patients, Front Street Manor residents, and others who may not get out to the parade otherwise would be able to watch it.
Kellar also noted that one of the problems with having the parade on Scott Street is that when it disbands at the arena, it always seems to coincide with hockey tournaments and vehicle traffic gets congested in that area.
“I kind of thought if we were down along the waterfront and disbanding at the marina, then as long as people were aware that’s where it’s going to be, then people would avoid that area,” she remarked.
Another consideration is parking for spectators. Having the parade on the waterfront will mean people will have to park on the side streets.
But Kellar mentioned that, as long as snow isn’t a factor, it’s not different from when many people park on the side streets to watch the parade when it takes the downtown route.
The decisions to change the parade route has not been finalized.
“We’re just tossing around the idea, trying to get some feedback, definitely,” said Kellar.
“We don’t want to go ahead and just do it, and then nobody shows up for our parade.”
To provide Kellar with input for or against the idea of changing the parade route, e-mail her at brenda@causewayinsurance.com
