Chippawa Park ceremony called off due to rain

Heavy rain in the forecast and the chance of a thunderstorm and lightning saw executive members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 4 call for the cancellation of Remembrance Day ceremonies at Welland’s Chippawa Park Sunday, says the legion branch president.

Gloria Armbrust said its executive talked about the ceremony Saturday after seeing Sunday’s forecast from Environment Canada.

The weather agency had released special weather statements for Niagara, calling for heavy rainfall with amounts of 25 to 40 millimetres possible. It also said there was a risk of thunderstorms.

“We called everybody whose phone number we had, we called the city ( of Welland), Mayor ( Frank) Campion, ( MPP) Cindy Forster and ( MP) Vance Badawey and all of the executive,” said Armbrust, adding it was the whole executive that made the call to cancel the annual ceremony.

She said they also took into account cadets and a bugle band being exposed to the elements in the decision.

Cliff Driscoll, the legion’s service officer and poppy chair, said the legion didn’t want to expose older veterans and the general public to the wet weather and cause anyone to become sick.

They didn’t want to risk flags, to carried by a colour party, being torn or hitting anyone due to the wind, either.

“With the rain and possibility of lightning, we couldn’t use our audio system,” he said. Lightning would have also been a risk for anyone standing outside at the ceremony.

Armbrust said a notice was posted at the legion hall and an announcement was made on Facebook, though The Tribune could not find one. Campion posted the cancellation on his Twitter account.

Driscoll said there was no backup plan for the ceremony. He said the legion will hold its regular ceremony honouring those who have served on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the legion hall at 383 Morningstar Ave.