Plans continue to take shape for Sylvan Lake’s Centennial celebrations, set to run throughout 2013.
An open house, hosted by the Sylvan Lake Centennial Celebrations task force, was held Feb. 2 at the Community Partners Association office, and plenty of groups and individuals attended to bring their ideas to the table.
“Tonight is an opportunity for all the clubs and organizations to bring their information about their events to us,” said Brenda Dale, chair of the task force.
One of the goals is to make the celebrations last the whole year through, she said. Organizers of annual community events are also being asked to tap into the centennial theme as they plan their functions.
“Right from the first fireworks that go off on New Year’s Eve it’s going to be a year of celebration,” she said, adding that public feedback shows people are looking for a “really enhanced” 1913 Days next year, which takes place in June.
For their part, volunteers of the Sylvan Lake and District Archives Society are putting together a centennial calendar which will include the final six months of 2012.
“We have two projects we are involved in, the first being a (photo) album,” said Bunny Virtue. “We have done one already of the first 50 years of Sylvan Lake and district, and now we are going to do the next 50 years. We’re also going to have the 18-month centennial calendar.” Historic photos are currently being selected for the project. “It will be ready for 1913 Days this year.”
Virtue said the archives will also be involved in centennial celebrations by providing pictures and the town’s history story for a musical production being planned by H. J. Cody High School.
“They’re hoping to make a musical play centring around the history of Sylvan Lake, so they’ll of course need the background we have at the archives.”
The town’s youth are being included in a major artistic project to mark the centennial.
“We’ve invited artists, in any genre they want, who can involve 400 kids in some kind of commemorative project that tells a bit of the story of Sylvan Lake,” said Kathy Inglis of the task force’s arts project.
“At this point, our goal is that it will be mounted in the new town offices.”
Three wall spaces in that building have been potentially set apart for the project, she said. It could be anything from a massive painting to something involving ceramics.
“Depending on how big the project is, we may use all three walls.”
Giving youth a chance to be involved gives them a sense of ownership as well. Plus, they’ll be able to return years down the road and see their part in a permanent work of art commemorating the centennial.
“I think that there is then an attachment to the community. That’s what we want. We want the kids to still — 25 years from now — feel connected in some way.”
As Inglis said, an early start on planning the celebrations certainly works in the town’s favour. “It’s a year when a lot of communities will be celebrating (centennials), so we’re excited we got going on it (early).”
Local Scouts are also getting in on the celebrations by planning a major jamboree in 2013, said Jim Hicks, a commissioner with the Northern Lights Council.
“We’re having a Canadian jamboree open to all scouts across Canada. There may be some from across the pond — England and Germany — and some from the United States as well. We don’t know yet because we haven’t gotten the registration started, but it’s going to be about 5,000 to 6,000 scouts from the ages of 11 to 14 out at Camp Woods,” he said. “There will be lots of activities taking place,” said Hicks, adding that the jamboree will run July 6-13, 2013.
Catherine Bais, administrator with Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce, said local residents can always be counted on to join forces when such a wide-ranging project is being planned.
“I think it says something about Sylvan Lake, and about the people who have lived here for many, many years and about a lot of the new ones.”
There are still plenty of ways to get involved as centennial plans continue to come together. The task force meets the first Tuesday of the month at the Community Partners office, starting at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit the facebook page at ‘Sylvan Lake 100th Birthday Celebration’. The group may also be reached via email at 100b@sylvanlake.ca.
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