Canada Day in Chilliwack promises to be all about family, food and fun for 2015.
A few key elements of the community event are changing this year.
After the 2014 event, the Chilliwack Community Arts Council announced it was stepping down from its long-established role of coordinating the local Canada Day Celebration.
"With less than a year before the next event, the need to secure a business or organization with experience in event planning became a priority," according to the city staff report.
Council voted this week to hire Trevor McDonald of McDonald Enterprises to organize the Canada Day entertainment.
All Canada Day activities will take place at Townsend Park this year to make it easier for attendees who previously complained about having to travel from the Landing site to the adjacent at Townsend Park to see the highly anticipated fireworks display.
As usual Canada Day will start early with a pancake breakfast, hosted by the Sardis Kiwanis Club.
The crowd can bring blankets and "relax on the grass to take in some amazing, dynamic family entertainment being hosted on the main stage," according to the staff report.
Food trucks are expected to be on site.
The final budget is yet to be determined but Prospera Credit Union and Chances have offered to share funding cost for the Canada Day event, which in the past has worked with a budget of about $60,000. Prospera Credit Union and Chilliwack Chances will help offset the entertainment costs.
Council approved the contracting of McDonald Enterprises on Tuesday and increased the funding from $3,000 last year to $4,965 this year for entertainment and event coordination. Another $14,000 will be neede for the fireworks display.
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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