Despite ongoing flooding issues, the show must go on and Canada Day fireworks organizers are looking at other locations should the Beach Park remain underwater on July 1.
With this being a milestone year, both council and the district’s recreation and events manager Jamie Sherlock are determined that all events continue as planned, despite Mother Nature’s lack of co-operation.
“In 2012 they were postponed,” Sherlock said of the fireworks during Sicamous’ last big flood. “This is Canada’s 150th birthday; show’s got to go on.”
As such, she has been exploring other options and landed on Mara Lake as a good alternative. From that vantage point, she explained, many residents can see the show from their homes and cabins, resulting in less boat and vehicle traffic. That issue, however, remained a concern for council, as the Sicamous event has always attracted boat traffic from throughout the Shuswap.
“I’ve seen how many boats there are,” Coun. Jeff Mallmes said of past years. “There’s a crap load of them.”
Having those vessels trying to funnel through the channel before and after the show concerned council, as did people driving to different vantage points on land, such as up at Bay View, Hyde Mountain Golf Course and various beaches. Council did admit, however, that the annual fireworks always create somewhat of a traffic issue as people line the Bruhn Bridge and cars slow along the highway to take in the spectacle.
In the end, while council accepted Sherlock’s report, they have yet to reach a finalized decision on the location but, regardless of where, the fireworks will definitely take place on Canada’s birthday.
While Old Town Bay had been suggested as a possible site for fireworks, Sherlock says this is not the case. The only two locations being considered for the fireworks are Sicamous Beach Park or Mara Lake.
“The main concern is we have to make this happen somehow,” Mayor Terry Rysz stated. “We will make this happen.”