It doesn’t matter whether you used to live in St. Albert or if you still keep a residence here. The local committee organizing this year’s sesquicentennial celebrations wants you and all of your family and friends from the city to come home.
Kathy Thackeray is the chair of the group’s Homecoming subcommittee. She said that she is relying heavily on word of mouth to get more people keen on taking in this event because, so far, things have been relatively quiet.
“It seems that the word has been slow to get out there. We’ve had some interest over the last year but it certainly could use a higher profile.”
In her opinion, there might be some public confusion between this and the picnic, a totally separate event that was originally intended to compete for a Guinness World Record for attendance. That challenge was abandoned due to costs and other logistical considerations. Many people might have thought that the whole picnic was scrapped but it is still set to take place on Sunday, Aug. 28.
“I still run into people who think that the picnic and the homecoming are one and the same, or that they’re somehow related.”
Thackeray thinks this event is a great way for anyone and everyone to get to know St. Albert.
The Rendezvous 2011 Homecoming takes place on Saturday, July 16. It starts off at Servus Credit Union Place at 10 a.m. where people will pick up their passports before hopping on a bus. They will be treated to a citywide tour of sights including the St. Albert Botanic Park, the replica train station and grain elevators, the Farmers’ Market, MusĂ©e HĂ©ritage Museum, Little White Schoolhouse, Founders’ Walk, Mission Hill, Celebration Garden and the Michif Cultural and Resource Institute.
The day will end with a dinner at the Enjoy Centre and entertainment by Moonlight Breeze with Danny Boisvert.
The whole thing was originally going to be a self-guided tour but they decided it might cause some congestion. That’s why, she explained, it is so important for people to plan ahead. They expect hundreds of participants to take the tour.
“I don’t think we can take last minute [registrations].”
The deadline to sign up is June 15. The cost is $55 for adults to take part in the full itinerary or $45 for just the dinner. Children 12 and under are $15 whether or not they take in the tour. Kids five and under are free.
You can register online at www.rendezvous2011.ca or visit the committee’s office at 50 St. Thomas Street. Call 780-458-4630 for more information.
