Final preparations for Canada Day celebrations are underway, with just a few days to go before the country’s much-anticipated 150th birthday.
There are road closures in the London’s downtown core while organizers set up for Sesquifest, a five-day long festival that kicks of Thursday with countless concerts, a virtual reality dome that tours the country, and a 150-ft. tall cake.
READ MORE: London to commemorate Canada 150 with five-day ‘Sesquifest’ festival
Over at city hall, a large white time capsule sits in front of the Mayor’s office — waiting to be filled with postcards from locals about why they’re proud to be Canadian before it’s buried in Harris Park for 50 years.
“This is a legacy opportunity,” Randy Warden, the chairperson for London Celebrates Canada, told AM980.
“You can put your thoughts, and share them for your grand children. They’ll be unseen for 50 years, so if you think about it from a legacy point of view; what a great opportunity.”
Although the capsule sat empty on Wednesday afternoon, Warden said there are already several boxes of post cards and other pieces collected for burying. That includes artifacts from residents, and contributions from Fanshawe College and Western University.
READ MORE: London seeks $183K from city reserves for Canada 150 celebrations
“St John’s Ambulance has put a medallion in that commemorates Canada’s 150th… the convocation book for the university is definitely going in there, we’ve got a Tim Hortons cup going in there.”
Warden chuckled as he explained it was a ceramic cup, not a Roll Up The Rim cup.
His volunteer group, London Celebrates Canada, has organized several municipal Canada Day celebrations for the past eight years to build momentum for the 150th celebration. This year’s Canada Day will be their last, he said. They’re behind festivities taking place at Harris Park, which kick off Saturday with a First Nations Gathering between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., a ribbon cutting for a new pavilion, musical performances, and fireworks at 10 p.m.
Sesquifest takes over the downtown core from Thursday to Monday, with a different theme every day. It includes free concerts by Hollerado, Fefe Dobson, the Jack Richardon Orchestra, and Sloan.
Carling St. between Talbot St. and Richmond St., Talbot St. between King St. and Carling St., and Dundas St. between Talbot St. and Richmond St. will be closed for the duration of the festival.
READ MORE: London politicians approve Canada 150 funding during busy council meeting
The city submitted at grant application to the Department of Canadian Heritage for $243,270, as part of the total $481,925 cost for Canada Day 150 celebrations. On March 24th, a total of $60,000 in grants were approved, leaving a funding shortfall of $183,270. The City tapped into its Community Investment Reserve Fund to make up the difference, a move that Councillor Harold Usher believes was worthwhile.
“Most Londoners will agree that that is a worthwhile investment. And if they don’t agree today, I think they’ll agree after next week Monday.”
Usher hopes the celebrations will be big enough and impressive enough, that they aren’t forgotten by anyone who participates in celebrating Canada as a home.
“It is our home. Whether we were born here or not, whether we just came here yesterday or we came here 100 years ago, it’s still our home.”
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