Storm causes sudden end to Canada Day festivities in Brantford

A wild storm that crossed southern Ontario Wednesday tossed vendor canopies and porta-potties at the Canada Day festivities in Lions Park in Brantford, sending hundreds of people to shelter indoors.

The long-planned-for event was cancelled before the highlight of the day – music by Tom Wilson and then Finger Eleven, followed by spectacular fireworks.

“It’s very disappointing,” said festival chair Dave Carrol just hours after being in the field urging people to go home.

“I’m very sad for a lot of the vendors because there was just a giant pile of tents at the end. Some lost product and were out there in the rain holding on to their stuff for dear life.”

But, said Carrol, he was proud of the festival team and the fact no one was injured in the storm.

The stormy weather was spotted ahead of time by Sanderson Centre employee Shaun Rintoule who only last week did a training session on dangerous weather. Rintoule responded immediately and the festival team began to urge people into the nearby Lions Park Arena and Boys and Girls Club.

“I got to use my big boy voice ‘Go to shelter immediately!’,” said Carrol, “and we got darned near everybody to safety before the storm started to howl.”

Once the rain ended, Carrol said there was far too much damage for things to simply resume.

Parts of the festival grounds were left without power, the grass was a mess and there were no toilets for the thousands expected to arrive in the evening.

More than that, it looked as though more rain cells were moving in.

“There was no way in the world it would have been safe.”

The City of Brantford posted an explanation that added some trees were down in the park and some hydro lines down near the park, saying things would have to be cleared before the space was safe for public use.

But some, both at the event and online, complained that the show should go on. Many were taken to task by those who could see the reasons behind the decision.

“Good grief!” posted Jen Carr.

“Do you really think the city is going to cancel an event they paid, I’m sure, a VERY substantial amount of money for, just because ‘they felt like it’?”

Carr said she saw vendor tents flying off and people with small children running for cover.

Jamie Stephens, who has organized his share of large events, chastised people as well, saying the event was a nightmare for any organizer.

“The storm might be over but the damage it left behind makes the park UNSAFE to continue,” said Stephens, urging people to sympathize with the vendors who lost tents and inventory, or the investors or those who put hundreds of hours into planning.

“I know these people. These are GOOD people, many who volunteer and work hard all year to put this FREE show on.”

It was a hard end to a day that began with extreme heat.

For an event that normally draws about 20,000 people, attendance was substantially off as the temperatures soared to about 47C with the humidex.

Water was pushed, cooling tents were set up and volunteers working in the sun were rotated frequently.

Several attendees suffered mild heatstroke and required treatment.

But families still visited the midway with no big lineups and cruised among the multiple vendors selling plenty of hats, flags and crafts of all kind.