THUNDER BAY – Canada Day is a chance to celebrate the country’s founding, but police and fire officials want to remind the public it can be done in a safe manner.
Traffic Sgt. Gordon Snyder said the celebrations, which take place at Marina Park on Monday, make for a great event, but it only takes one or two bad apples in the crowd of 20,000 or so expected to head to the waterfront to spoil things for everyone.
“Our primary concern, always, is safety, just to make sure this event is as safe as possible. This is one of the largest events that we have in the City of Thunder Bay,” Snyder said.
“First and foremost is our little ones, the little kids. This is a family event. There will be a lot of children running around. I imagine there will be all kinds of excitement between the different vendors and groups, so we want to make sure that their families are aware of their children, where they are and keep them in close range.”
Snyder said despite the many precautions that have been taken, there are still plenty of hazards throughout the park.
“We’re on a beautiful body of water here that children are drawn to, with the geese and ducks and whatnot,” he said. “If you do lose track of your children, there are services in place throughout the park to assist you in locating them.”
Reach out to a city worker or police on site in that case, he added.
Traffic is another major concern.
With thousands expected to descend on the waterfront, Snyder reminds the public that there will be no public parking at Marina Park on July 1.
“When you’re coming to these events, the city goes to great lengths and ensures there are multiple ways of getting there. There are free shuttles that are occurring from different areas of the city,” Snyder said.
“Also, there is parking around the downtown core in Port Arthur where you can park and walk in.”
Equally important, police say no fireworks, personal alcohol or cannabis smoking is allowed at Marina Park.
He said the public should give themselves extra time to get to and from the park, remembering there will be additional traffic on the roads, particularly on the north side of the city. Road closures will be in effect near the waterfront following the fireworks, which are scheduled to begin at about 11 p.m.
Snyder asked those who do partake before hitting the festivities to consider moderation.
“Because it’s a holiday weekend, obviously there’s extra consumption of alcohol, and now cannabis. If you’re in the park itself, there’s no consumption of alcohol or cannabis permitted. So please do not come to the park with any of these items,” he said.
“And if you are consuming any type of alcohol or drug, we ask that you don’t drive, because this also creates another large hazard.”
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue’s Kevin Anderson said their biggest concerns over the Canada Day weekend are personal fireworks.
While he encourages the public to simply enjoy the city’s show, Anderson said anyone setting off their own should use plenty of precaution.
“Obviously these are explosives, so be very careful around your kids. You can only do them at your house. You can’t come to the park on July 1 and set off your own fireworks, so leave them at home,” he said, reminding potential fireworks users they can only be set off from Friday to Monday and then they’re off limits until the next permitted holiday weekend.
