A group has stepped forward to organize Cranbrook's Canada Day celebration, which last year was hurriedly organized at the last minute by the City of Cranbrook after no one offered to coordinate the event.
Connect Church will organize the July 1 festivities, including a fireworks display, starting at 5 p.m. back at Moir Park.
In January 2013, Sunrise Rotary Club advised city council that it could no longer organize the national holiday celebrations in Cranbrook because of uncertainty around funding from grants and the club's commitment to other worthy projects.
The city began approaching community groups to coordinate the event, but by early June was forced to itself organize a scaled-down Canada Day party.
Each year, city council commits $2,000 towards the fireworks display at Moir Park. In 2013 council contributed an additional $2,500 towards a music and entertainment celebration at Rotary Park.
An individual, Gord Felske, fundraised to pay for a modest fireworks display in 2013.
But this year, Connect Church has come forward to organize Canada Day festivities, including entertainment and the fireworks display, all back at Moir Park as it was prior to 2013.
With council's $4,500 support through its 2014 Grants to Organizations, Connect Church is working to fundraise to reach its $25,000 goal for the celebration. The new organizers hope that this budget will allow them to have a fireworks display that is double the size of last year's.
Residents and businesses are advised that this is a legitimate fundraiser, supported by the City of Cranbrook, and you may be approached for a donation to help put on the event. Donations for the display will be collected and held by Connect Church.
If you wish to make a donation to the 2014 Canada Day festivities and fireworks display, please drop them off at 131 7th Avenue South. Cheques can be made out to Connect Church.
The fun will start at 5 p.m. at Moir Park and will include music, food, face painting, clowns, games, tattoos, bouncy castles and entertainment for the young and old.
Stay tuned for more information about the Canada Day celebration in the Townsman or online at www.cranbrook.ca and www.connectcranbrook.com.