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Come together
On Thursday evening Main Street Wellington was alive with smiles, laughter and dance moves that have been pent up for two years. One of Wellington’s main events, the Canada Day Street Dance made its return, much to the delight of the community. It was great to see so many familiar faces, many that haven’t been seen in quite some time, taking it all in. On Saturday morning, Main Street was again lined with red and white as folks came out to enjoy the first parade since the COVID-19 pandemic. Waving, honking, and the familiar floats brought back fond memories of parades past. It was almost a surreal experience.
The events signalled a return to normal, where neighbours can once again gather and enjoy the festivities. Most don’t realize the amount of effort that goes into making these community events happen. Much of the planning, set up and tear down work lies on a few individuals shoulders. To be honest, the two year break allowed many volunteers to regain some energy and passion. They certainly showed up this year to provide a fun event for all.
So, a few thank yous are in order. First and foremost, thank you to the community for rallying behind the new vision for this year. As many know, change is tough in the County. We fielded concerns about the lack of a fireworks display, but the evening came together and was a success. We were all overwhelmed by the support and attendance at the Street Dance.
Thank you to Dave Ashton and Adam Peloso for doing some heavy lifting and spending Thursday afternoon installing the beer garden fence. Thanks to Spike Lees for managing the safe installation of the band stage. There is nothing a few zip ties can’t fix. Thank you to Krista Richardson Tonya Ashton and Evan Nash for taking the reigns on organizing this year’s Street Dance and kids concert.
The event was made that much better with the beer garden put on by Midtown Brewing Company. Thank you to your crew for making it happen. Thank you also to the food vendors for adding some delicious food options to the evening. Between the beer garden and the vendor fees, a donation of $1,500—$750 to the Storehouse Foodbank and $750 to CML Snider Parents council—will be made this week.
This year, the Wellington on the Lake Resident’s Association (WOLRA) and the Wellington Recreation Committee joined forces. New President Brenda Little and husband Doug have a goal of integrating Wellington on the Lake with the community a little better. What a great way to start. They along with their group stepped up and managed the parade and Friday events. Thank you for taking that on.
This year also saw both groups work cohesively with County staff. A huge thank you goes to Ashley Stewart, Community Services and Programs Coordinator. Ashley worked as a liaison between Parks staff and Operations staff to ensure road closures and insurance were in place. She also managed much of the day-today planning. Thank you also to Lisa Lindsay and parks staff, and Adam Goheen and Operations staff.
Finally, thank you to the Wellington Recreation Committee and members Spike Lees, Bethany Mulder, Jennifer Armstrong, Michael Hotrum, Paul Edmonds and Councillor Mike Harper for providing past experience and guidance in facilitating the events.
We truly live in a special community. One where folks comes together for the benefit of others.
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