One of the events I miss is Canada Day celebrations in Moose Jaw.
The Canada Day Committee used to win awards for the day’s activities that observed Canada Day. Activities used to include a parade down Main Street as well as an afternoon of music and acknowledgments in Crescent Park.
For many years my partner/wife was involved in that committee. The committee worked hard to put on the day’s events.
Several successor committees continued with cool events. Then, one committee chairman just quit and disbanded the Canada Day Committee.
No similar large celebrations have been held here since. This year a couple of pancake breakfast fundraisers were the only sign of Canada Day in Moose Jaw.
The fireworks happened the weekend before.
Do we feel that badly about Canada that we can’t muster enough interest for a decent celebration? What a shame. Maybe next year.
We need leaders to organize another Canada Day Committee.
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We were in the co-op grocery store the other day and met a couple of friends we don’t see that often.
While standing in the aisle, visiting, blocking and annoying other shoppers, Yours Truly realized this would have been a good time to stop for coffee in the Co-op Cafeteria.
But the Co-op Cafeteria closed years ago.
Too bad. The cafe gave one a sense of belonging, that the co-op was our place.
Any time you went in it you found people you knew, and often only saw them in the cafeteria.
The year when many co-ops closed the cafeterias, some like St. Paul, Alta. refused to close shop. Good for them.
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One thing I will miss is the parking meter bandits.
Since nighttime thieves are breaking meters and stealing coins from them, the city has decided to install meters that require using smartphone applications.
The apps are a bit more complicated than just plugging meters with coins.
It’s sad that nighttime crime in downtown Moose Jaw has reached the point where the temptation has to be removed.
The empty Fairford Street parking lot with smartphone app parking indicates how welcome phone app parking is in this city.
How will the six per cent of residents who don't have cellphones fare in the parking scheme?
We worry about minority rights. The inability of some to use the smartphone apps violates the rights of six per cent.
Guess they will just have to park where businesses supply off-street parking.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
