Change is coming to Roberts Creek Daze in the form of bouncy castles, “funswings,” a petting zoo and “much more,” according to organizers.
Plans for changes to the annual community festival – set for Saturday, Aug. 10 – were revealed at a Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) meeting late last month as part of an application package for $750 in rural grant-in-aid funds.
Roberts Creek director Andreas Tize explained the rationale behind the application before suggesting other directors contribute. “There were some issues earlier this year with trying to find somebody to organize Creek Daze within the Roberts Creek Community Association. The previous organizers were not all that interested in doing the same thing, as attendance had been dropping,” he said.
A few weeks ago, Tize was contacted by one of the organizers who told him, “We’re in, and we’re more than in. We’re going to go big!”
“There’s going to be all sorts of shenanigans,” Tize said. “It’s a big plan.”
The plan is to run with a “country faire” theme, “with swing rides, bouncy castles, amusements, dunk tank, petting farm and much more … in this much-loved annual event with a brand new twist,” according to the application package. The organizers are hoping to double last year’s attendance of 1,000 visitors.
The applicants requested $750 from the SCRD to cover the upfront operational costs of the field rental and portable washrooms, but directors decided to go big, too.
Tize told directors he was “more than happy” to spend $750 from Area D’s grant-in-aid purse, and asked directors to chip in “100 bucks here or there,” especially since Gibsons Sea Cavalcade was cancelled.
Area E director Donna McMahon then asked Area F director Mark Hiltz if their contribution could come from the combined areas E and F purse, since she didn’t have enough in the Area E kitty to allocate.
Hiltz commented that generally these kinds of deliberations have happened in closed meetings. “It doesn’t make it as equal with how we manage grants-in-aid, where some people come in an open meeting and some come in a closed meeting.”
McMahon apologized and said the discussion should have happened before the meeting, and the pair agreed to provide an additional $200 from the combined fund.
Leonard Lee, director for Area A, then agreed to add $100 from his electoral area. “Residents of Pender Harbour do enjoy going down to there,” he said.
Chair Lori Pratt rounded out the offering with $150 from her area, Halfmoon Bay.
Acting CAO Angie Legault reminded directors the original donation was for $750 but directors committed to the increased amount, and unanimously voted to approve the $1,200 in grant money.
