Tessa Swanton (Townson),
Bruce Peninsula Press
This year, Canada Day landed in the middle of a heat wave, but the event at the Pike Bay Park persisted with tents and pleasant breezes off Lake Huron providing some relief from the sun’s strong rays. This annual event, hosted by the Pike Bay Community Association (PBCA), attracted both locals and visitors with many multigenerational families enjoying the festival together revealing a heartfelt bond between grandparents, parents and children.
The park was overflowing with attendees wearing red and white traveling around the grounds to each station. Community groups covered the lawn, including the Bruce Trail Club, Lion’s Head Legion, Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association, and St. Edmunds and Peninsula Museum. Some groups were selling raffle tickets, accepting donations and offering games, like an entertaining fishpond game to win candy presented by Lianne Timbers Sharp Real Estate. The Northern Bruce Peninsula Fire Department parked a firetruck in the parking lot handing out swag bags. Children were witnessed beading, blowing bubbles, playing ball, getting tattoos and face paint, and playing on the new playground structure and swings installed last October. MP (Member of Parliament), Alex Ruff, made a brief appearance welcoming the community and local band, the Ferndale Flats and Sharps, played uplifting music.
Cottager Erica and her family were seen at the Bruce Men’s Shed tent building wooden birdhouses which she described as a family favourite. Erica comes to the event ever year, “We’ve got our bird house from last year up on the tree and we’ve got tree swallows living in it right now.” “They [The children] love coming to make birdhouses,” she said. Erica’s family celebrates Canada Day by swimming at “The Rocks” in Whiskey Harbour followed by an evening campfire.
Dedicated volunteer and Pike Bay local, Karen Sword, described the atmosphere as “cheerful.” “People are happy to be here, it’s better than so many other places we could all be.” Sword’s Canada Day tradition is “making this happen and being a part of it,” as well as her kids coming year after year. “They want to be here and that makes me feel good,” she expressed.
This event continues yearly because of several devoted volunteers and the hard work of the PBCA.
The July 1st celebration can be summarized in a few honest words shared by Karen Sword, “Coming here is a wonderful thing, this is our home, in many ways the old home is where the heart is.”
Photo: Cora and Barrett getting outfitted with some festive face paint and tattoos for Canada Day.
Photo: Pike Bay residents Alesha and Chance with their children Lachlan, Onyx, and Cordelia sporting fabulous attire in front of a Northern Bruce Peninsula firetruck.
