Update March 16:
Council has decided to cancel the event.
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Like other communities, the Municipality of Powassan is going to have to make some tough decisions concerning public gatherings in light of the COVID-19 situation.
One of those decisions centres around this year’s Powassan Maple Syrup Festival scheduled for Saturday, April 25.
The festival attracts anywhere from 10-thousand to 12-thousand people on a nice day. Even inclement weather tends to draw between 6-thousand and 8-thousand visitors.
The number of vendors lining the streets and filling the arena is somewhere around 120.
Randy Hall is the festival chair and Powassan Deputy Mayor.
“The committee has, for the most part, said that we are going to cancel it. But we can’t officially cancel it until we go through council,” said Hall.
“As it stands right now, based on what the government has asked us to do, and the committee members that have responded to our email, it looks like we’re going to cancel it, but we can’t make anything 100 percent until we talk to council.”
Powassan Mayor Peter McIsaac says the health and well-being of everyone involved is a primary concern.
“The province has come out and stated we can’t have any gatherings greater than 250 people, and obviously that makes sense knowing the times that we’re in right now,” said McIsaac.
“Basically we have stopped all of our events and operations at 250 Clark. We’ve closed our Sportsplex and we have a lot of activities at the Sportsplex. We’ve talked to the Legion and Lions Club. Church services have been cancelled. It is the times we’re in right now. People are taking the right precautions.”
The next conversation will centre around the festival.
“If there is a festival, and that is a big if, there will have to be some modifications to it and we don’t know what that is right now. And that’s even if there is a festival at this time,” said McIsaac.
One maple syrup producer said he doesn’t want to take chances where his health and the health of his staff is concerned, especially at this time of year when his livelihood depends on maple syrup production.
“As far as hardships go, that is part of the reason why we’re considering cancelling it as early as we are so that the vendors won’t have made preparations, won’t have ordered stuff in, that type of scenario,” said Hall.
“Some of the vendors would probably spend a couple of months getting prepared for it, as compared to say food vendors who would just have to pick up things one or two weeks prior to it. That is the concern there.”
Hall says the cancellation will have an impact on any of the churches or service organizations that host pancake breakfasts to generate some charitable revenue.
“I’m sure they’re going to find that they’ll be down financially. But as far as the town itself, I don’t believe you’ll find a huge issue with lost revenue.”
The mayor says the council is looking ahead to take further steps to protect staff and the general public.
“I know for sure we will be cancelling the next council meeting on the 7th of April. I will be bringing a motion to council. That one is for sure, and then we will see where we are after that.”
