Delayed Canada Day fireworks go off without a hitch
by Brandon Mayer
The planned fireworks celebration at North Dundas District High School was cancelled just over an hour before it was supposed to begin. The notice initially appeared on social media anonymously, causing some residents to question whether it was just a prank. It didn’t take long for confirmations of the message’s legitimacy to start pouring in. The first official social media post regarding the cancellation came from Mayor Tony Fraser, followed shortly after by a post on the Township’s own page, putting to rest any doubts that the fireworks were indeed cancelled.
For those on social media, the cancellation notification came soon enough to leave time for families to travel to neighbouring towns or private celebrations to get their annual dose of fireworks. For those not online, the notice may have come too late, though word of mouth tends to spread quickly in North Dundas. The cause of the cancellation was a medical emergency experienced by the company that was contracted to put on the fireworks display. The event was rescheduled to July 5, when a packed crowd of families enjoyed the brilliant fireworks display that lasted about 15 minutes.
While the Township of North Dundas has not organized an official daytime Canada Day celebration since 2022, residents had an exciting option this year thanks to the Winchester Lions Club. The Lions Club welcomed locals to “Canada Day in the Park” at Winchester’s 100 Club Park on the property of the Sam Ault Arena.
The daytime event ran from 10:30 to 2:00 and featured large inflatables (including Spiderman), giant bubbles, twist-it balloons, face painting, kids Zumba, public swimming, games, a canteen, and plenty of other outdoor family friendly fun.
It has never been more important to celebrate all the great things that Canada has to offer. We should all be proud to be Canadian.