(Posted
8 a.m., July 1)
Searing
temperature limit Canada Day crowd on Petrie Island
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca
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Volunteer
Jacob Pollack has a little fun with a super
spoaker while sitting on the dunk tank during
the Orléans Canada Day celebration on Petrie
Island. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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Sometimes
you can't win for trying. That's how the organizers of
the annual Canada Day celebration on Petrie Island must
feel after Mother Nature once again wreaked havoc on their
best laid plans.
Last
year it was torrential rains that kept people away from
Petrie Island. This year it was the extreme heat. With
temperature hitting an all-time high of 37 degrees for
the day, causing Environment Canada to issue an extreme
heat warning, people stayed away in drove, happy to either
spend the day in their air conditioned homes, head to
the cottage or lounge in their swimming pools.
"It
was a hot, hot day and that kept away a lot of people,�
said event co-organizer Zybina Richards. "It is frustrating,
but what you do about it? We do the best job we can with
the resources we have so that the people who do come enjoy
themselves and have a great Canada Day.�
Those
people who did brave the excessive heat and made it down
to Petrie Island were treated to a variety of live entQertainment,
a piece of giant birthday cake, or a cold beverage served
by the Orléans Brewing Company, if they so wished.
Many
people took advantage of the cold water sprayers which
were brought in to provide some relief to the heat, or
they took a dip in the Ottawa River at one of the island's
three beaches.
Luc
Champagne was among a dozen or so boaters who anchored
off the east beach close enough to listen to the music
on the nearby stage.
The
Hammond resident spent most of the day half-submerged
in the Ottawa River while sitting on a lounge chair alongside
his boat which was appropriately named "Life is a cabaret�.
"This
is the best. You can't beat it. When we got here this
morning there were already six or seven other boats,�
said Champagne. "We're close enough to the stage that
we can hear the music and we'll have a great view of the
fireworks tonight.�
One
of the best volunteer jobs on the island was having to
sit on the dunk tank. By late afternoon, that assignment
was given to Lynn Clairoux and Jacob Pollack who took
turns letting anyone willing to pay a loonie try to dunk
them into the water, prompting one observer to remark
that they should start in the water and then have to sit
in the heat whenever someone hit the target.
Despite
the light turnout during the day, people came down to
the island in droves to enjoy the fireworks display. By
the time the show started more than 3,000 people had made
the trek down to the beach.
With
the day finally done, Richards had nothing but praise
for the small army of volunteers who made it all possible.
"On
my gosh, our volunteers are amazing. They were all day
yesterday getting everything set up and they were back
again at eight o'clock this morning. Most of them have
been with us all day again today and they'll come back
tomorrow to help clean everything up. We couldn't do it
without them.�
Besides
the water sprayers, the organizers also brought in extra
bottled water to make sure everyone stayed hydrated and
a slew of portable tents to provide additional shade.
"Whatever
we could do to help people enjoy the day, we did,� said
co-organizer Adam Polka.
The
Petrie Island celebration wasn't the only Canada Day event
that was effected by the extreme heat. Attendance was
down across the city, including Parliament Hill where
total attendance throughout the day was only 26,000.
Smaller
crowds were also reported during the day at community
events in Blackburn Hamlet, Cumberland Village and Vars,
although just like on Petrie Island, the numbers were
up to see the fireworks.
(This story
was made possible thanks to the generous support of our
local business partners.)
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