CARNAGE IN COALDALE
Demolition derby a major fundraiser for Coaldale Kinsmen
Coaldale Carnage Smash and Splash Demolition Derby and Mud Bog is holding its eighth annual event this weekend. The derby and mud bog raise funds for the Kinsmen Club of Coaldale, who then use that money to fund community projects. The event continues today.
Thousands of people are flocking to Coaldale this weekend to take part in an annual tradition of smash-up, crash-up action. The Kinsmen Club of Coaldale Eighth Annual Smash and Splash Demolition Derby and Mud Bog started Saturday and runs through today.
The event is the largest fundraiser for the Coaldale Kinsmen and draws people from across western Canada.
This year’s car count for the demolition derby is between 55 and 60 cars. Committee Chair Jack Van Rijn said drivers come from as far away as northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and B.C.
“We’re one of the largest, if not the largest, demolition derbies in western Canada,” he said.
Over the previous seven years, the Kinsmen have raised more than $175,000 through the event, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going back to Coaldale and area for community projects such as playgrounds and the local spray park.
“Nonprofit groups come to the Kinsmen for funds,” said Van Rijn.
“We’ve put money toward a new (Scouts trailer), and we buy band equipment for the school. It’s a good fundraiser for the community.”
The event is being held at a new location north of Coaldale this year for the first time.
“We outgrew the old location,” Van Rijn said.
“We were getting encroached upon by residential development. So the town of Coaldale was nice enough to give us the use of approximately 40 acres of land in an unused portion of their industrial park.”
Van Rijn said from the way the event has grown and development plans for the town, it looks like the event will probably be in that location for at least the next four years.
‘We’re looking forward to having a venue that we can set up and leave,” he said.
Historically, the event draws as many 8,000 people and is by far the largest fundraising event of the year for the Kinsmen Club of Coaldale.
Van Rijn said 35 Kinsmen put in more than 3,000 hours of work into planning and management of the event.
“We start planning for this in late February,” he said. “It takes a week to set up and four days to take down. It’s a huge task for the volunteers.
“It really goes to show the extent of volunteerism in Coaldale. We have a really good group of guys.”
Van Rijn said the Kinsmen are always looking for new members 18 years or older. Anyone interested in joining the service club is asked to call Jack Van Rijn at 403-382-0099.
The Smash and Splash Demolition Derby and Mud Bog continues today.