The straw bales are on order, the last minute track preparations are under way, and out there somewhere, 90 kids are counting the sleeps until race day.
On Sunday afternoon kids and cars will literally descend on St. Vital Avenue with the city’s first soapbox derby in years. The hill on St. Vital is the same one where a soapbox derby formed part of St. Albert’s centennial party in 1961. Sunday’s event is a celebration of Father’s Day and forms part of the city’s year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary.
“It’s fun to re-kick start some of the things that have been done in the past,” said Margaret Plain, chair of the anniversary committee.
The event is for children aged six to 12.
Organizers sold 71 soapbox car kits, which contained the wheels and steering assembly required to build a car. Participants had to provide their own plywood, steering wheel, seat and brakes. Ninety children are registered to race, as siblings are allowed to share a car.
The races will be broken into age groups, with three cars racing at a time and each racer getting two runs down the 250-metre stretch between Madonna Drive and Liberton Drive. Based on a trial run held this spring, racers will get up to about 25 km/h, Plain said.
Races for the six- and seven-year-olds will begin at 11:45 a.m. Subsequent age groups will begin at 2:10 and 4:15 p.m. (Participants must register about half an hour before their race.)
“I’m sure that some of the parents will be as excited as some of the youngsters who are racing,” Plain said.
The event will include prizes for best decoration and best cheer section.
On Thursday Plain was anxious about a planned repaving of the street that hadn’t yet been completed.
Paving crews were mobilizing to complete the project on Friday, said Guy Boston, general manager of planning and engineering.
“The decision was made at seven o’clock this morning that we’ve got to go for it today because it’s not going to happen tomorrow, that’s for sure. The weather has been brutal this week,” he said.
“They’re going for it hard, starting this morning so we’re hoping to get it done today.”
The Environment Canada weather forecast calls for showers on Saturday and Sunday in the Edmonton region.
The plan is to run the event rain or shine.
“Of course if it’s pouring rain we probably won’t do it,” Plain said. “We’ll have to make that decision on the day.”
The event will also include an appearance by representatives from Walt Disney Studios, who will host a free “family experience” that promotes the upcoming Disney movie Cars 2.
