Canada 150 birthday celebrations were a resounding success for Kitimat.
District mayor Phil Germuth said the celebrations in Kitimat, which were the largest of its kind in northern B.C., were very well attended, despite the rain.
“Kitimat always goes out of its way to celebrate, and this year was no exception,” said Germuth.
He said despite initial reservations about the parade route, the response from the community was very positive.
He said without the hard work put in by the Kinsmen Club, Festivals Kitimat, the downtown business community and District staff, the celebrations wouldn’t have been such a success.
Kitimat Chamber of Commerce Chair Wendy Kraft said businesses and residents benefited in so many ways, in spite of cloudy weather.
“Our community came together to celebrate, ending with spectacular fireworks. A weekend like this doesn’t happen without countless workers and volunteers,” said Kraft.
She said the addition of the pancake breakfast, the new parade route and bringing the festivities to the centre of town was a brilliant idea.
Kitimat RCMP Sgt. Graham Morgan said there were no incidents reported during Friday night’s concert, the first concert at Canada Day celebrations since 2005.
“We had a strong presence at the concert, as we wanted to ensure a safe environment. However, there were no incidents at the concert, which was very positive,” said Morgan.
He said new rules under the Special Event Permit allowed for liquor to be served throughout arena, which was closely monitored by police working with the DoK, the liquor inspector and firefighters, to ensure rules and regulations were followed.
On the day of the parade the detachment had ten officers in Red Serge and two on ATVs, with another four officers working on day shift, with no incidents being reported.
