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By Ben Tompkins

In Jeopardy

City of Melfort in need of public’s help for 2024 Canada Day celebration

Feb 23, 2024 | 12:23 PM

While it is still only February, the City of Melfort is already looking at a celebration that’s just over four months away because there’s a possibility that it won’t happen.

The city has sent an open letter to the public, asking for help for this year’s Canada Day Celebration.

“The city has said that they would like a committee of people from the community and not necessarily a City of Melfort committee, so we need volunteers to step up to be part of this committee so that we can plan a program for Canada Day,” explained current chair of the Canada Day organizing group, Gailmarie Anderson.

“A Canada Day celebration has always been very popular here in Melfort and we’ve been doing it for years, so we hope that we can continue to do it.”

In the past, representatives from the Rotary Club, the Legion, the Arts Council, the media, the Kinsmen/Kinettes, various churches, and the Chamber of Commerce have been on the committee, but those numbers have since dwindled.

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With “declined interest”, this has put more of the onus on the city, which has been a little bit too much to handle.

“Volunteers are needed to plan and put on the Canada Day celebrations. The City of Melfort is available to assist with putting on the Canada Day celebrations, but the city also needs to ensure that our community services crews are available to properly maintain all our facilities, parks and green spaces throughout the summer to the expected service delivery levels,” explained director of community services Rob Lok.

Without more volunteers, the 2024 rendition of the celebration might not exist. If you or your organization is interested in volunteering, contact the Melfort Museum and ask for Gailmarie at 306-752-5870 or call City Hall at 306-752-5911.

Anderson is hopeful the event doesn’t have to be cancelled because she knows how important the day really is.

“I think for the community to come together as a whole to celebrate Canada Day, it’s about patriotism, it’s about honouring our country, and the individuals who represent it.The Legion will always have a colour parade and something on Canada Day, so we need to support them,” she added.

“I think it’s really important, we’ve usually had 400 to 600 people come out for Canada Day, so the community feels that it’s important as well.”

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