The residents of Sandycove Acres invite members of the community to their annual Canada Day parade, which begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 1.
The parade will include local dignitaries, such as Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard, Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin, Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin and other members of town council, members of the South Simcoe Police Service and Innisfil Fire and Rescue, the Rotary Club of Innisfil’s train, veterans, members of the Royal Canadian Legion, and many residents of the Sandycove retirement community.
“On July 1, everyone should wear their red and white, wave their flags and celebrate the birthday of our wonderful country,” says Sandycove Acres resident and event organizer Dorothy King.
King, who laid the groundwork for this event and is deeply entrenched in the local community despite awaiting knee surgery, told InnisfilToday that she looks forward to greeting everyone and doing as much as she can from her golf cart.
When she asked for assistance through a Facebook group, she said 14 Sandycove residents graciously volunteered to help with this year’s event.
While the Canada Day parade and the barbecue at The Cove Café — which will welcome local musicians The Fitzees, who are a family foursome playing "flashback fun," acoustic music and folk rock — are open to everyone, other activities, such as the veterans’ breakfast organized by the Sandycove Veterans Club, games, and a dance run by another part of the Canada Day committee headed by Donna Grimbly, will be available exclusively to residents of Sandycove Acres.
King explained that the adult lifestyle community on Lockhart Road boasts 1,233 homes with more than 1,800 residents.
“It’s a very active community with activities and events happening almost every day. If anyone in Sandycove needs anything at all, and posts it on one of our private Sandycove Facebook group pages, other residents either volunteer to help them out or point them in the right direction," she said.
Excited to return for the second year, post-COVID, King said: “Every year, I’m bursting with pride for our country on Canada Day. I really hope that families will bring their children out to the Sandycove Canada Day Parade and also to the other Canada Day activities in Innisfil to celebrate the birthday of our amazing country.
"It’s never too early to learn to be proud of being a Canadian," she added.
Maps of the Canada Day parade can be found in the ‘Discussion’ section of the event’s Facebook page by clicking here. Community members are reminded to check out The Cove Café’s barbecue, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. after the Canada Day parade.
