Lawson Hunter
(l-r) Stephen Sparling, Pam Damoff, Jeff Knoll, Mackenzie Grant try their hand at pancake flips.
Canada Day celebrations were held in different ways and in different Oakville locations on Jul. 1. There was a Canada Day Pop-Up at Towne Square where you could take your picture with a moose (not a real one). There was the Bronte community event with food trucks, music and kids activities. There was the Canada Day shenanigans at Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park with music and performers and, of course, fireworks.
Oakville North-Burlington MP Pam Damoff, together with Ward 5 and Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll, hosted a Canada Day Pancake Breakfast and Citizenship Reaffirmation Ceremony at Windfield Parkette, located at 2200 Sawgrass Road, home to the Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre. This community-based agency offers a wide range of programs and resources for the local community.
"Jeff Knoll and I noticed that little was happening in north Oakville on Canada Day, so we thought it would be nice to do something here," explained Damoff. "We did the first one in 2019 but had to stop for a couple of years due to Covid, We decided to co-sponsor this, and here we are."
Lawson Hunter
Face painting, colouring, button making and pancakes.
Over 100 people came to feast on pancakes, listen to upbeat music, meet old friends and new neighbours, and celebrate their Canadian citizenship. Children enjoyed face painting, colouring books and button making. In a word – it was a fun morning all around.
Music was provided by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. Pannist Denise Als performed music from reggae to pop songs on the steelpan.
Lawson Hunter
The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton was there.
"For our re-affirmation ceremony, we've got some certificates, and anyone that's here can repeat their oaths," said Damoff
However, judging from the lineups, the free pancake breakfast was the biggest draw to the event.
"I love doing pancake breakfasts," said Knoll. "I've done a number of them here. Pam came to one of them and asked me if we could do one for Canada Day. We've been doing it ever since."
"We're trying to bring more events up here in the north to bring awareness and people from south Oakville," observed Knoll. "There are so many young families here, and it's time for us to start getting programming in this community."
Of note, there will be a Fall Fair at Oak Park Centre on Sept. 9. In the meantime, we hope that everyone enjoyed their Canada Day.
