The fireworks are all organized and ready as the city takes over the big New Year’s Eve show from the fine folks at Victory Life Church, who offered that community event as their gift to us all for 13 great years.
Apart from that, everything will still be the same so expect some great big bangs, whistles, cracks, and thundering explosions as the fireworks launches from Mission Hill on Saturday. Everyone is invited to come out on what will undoubtedly be a frosty late December evening to send out the old year and ring in the new.
2017 marks a big number for the country.
The City of St. Albert is inviting everyone young and old to come out for the annual event that is set to blast off at 8:30 p.m. sharp. The weather looks like it might take a slide down the thermometer so people are encouraged to dress warmly.
Organizers are also suggesting some festive red and white attire too. That’s because 2017 will be Canada’s 150th birthday and this city is not wasting a second in putting on a fÄ™te for the occasion.
Rhonda Egar-Lee is the city’s Canada 150 co-ordinator. She’s in charge of putting together all of the events that the city has lined up to celebrate the occasion all year long. She won’t be wasting a second to spur the enthusiasm among St. Albertans.
“What we’ll be doing is getting 150 stories from local residents to mark Canada’s 150th and putting that on our social media and website, and sharing it through video,” she began.
“To gather those 150 stories, we’ll be going out into the community and doing certain small events to obtain those and engaging with the community that way. That’s one part of it and of course, there’s just being out and about in the community for the events that other community stakeholders have as well.
She encouraged people to visit the city’s website for the sesquicentennial at www.stalbert.ca/canada150. There, they can find more information about this and other events and programs, including the songwriting contest that will run from March 1 to May 11, 2017. The winner gets a $7,000 professional theme song recording package with PlanIt Sound plus $500 cash from The Survey Company. The winner also gets to perform the song at various other events to be held during the year.
You can ask Egar-Lee more about it on Saturday. She’ll be the one handing out flags and hot chocolate on the hill before the fireworks light up the night and herald in the new year.
No road closures have been announced for the spectacle but people should be aware that parking is extremely limited and traffic will surely be moving like molasses in late December because of the influx of spectators. People are also asked to take note that Mission Hill will be closed on Saturday until noon on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. For more information, please visit the city’s website and search ‘New Year’s Eve Fireworks 2016.’
