Parade route reviews positive
Welland Rose Festival organizers are praising the new parade route taken on Sunday, but one local business isn’t so excited about it.
On the north end of Niagara Street, Seaway Mall and nearby eateries welcomed spectators with viewing areas before heavy rain put a damper on the procession, which had been held for many years downtown.
But proprietors on the south end of the street who remained open for the day suffered, according to Barry Lutzer, owner of Niagara Pet Corner.
“When the parade was on we did absolutely no business,” he said when The Tribune visited a handful of businesses in the area on Tuesday to get feedback on the new route.
He would like to see the parade held “somewhere else,” possibly back in the downtown where Lutzer said most businesses are closed on Sundays.
The local store owner admitted he isn’t pleased with how the parade route impacted his cash register but concedes it’s only one day a year and it’s not going to have a long-term impact on his store.
“I can live with it — but it does hurt business,” he said.
The Tribune also asked the owners of Kim’s Nail Spa, Buckner’s Sports and Niagara Pharmacy for comment, but staff at all three said the parade had no impact on their businesses because they are closed Sundays.
Also closed Sunday was Broadway Custom Upholstery and Drapery, but its owner for the past 45 years, Kamal Jain, said the parade likely helped nearby stores and shops that were open for the day.
“I’m sure it brought in some business,” said Jain. “I think the route is good.”
Festival organizers are planning to use the new route for another five years. Festival president Allen Bunyan said input from the business community has been positive about the parade, as well as the bulk of the festival’s events that took place throughout June.
“It was a relatively successful festival, each aspect of it.”
Bunyan said a decrease in events can be attributed to less people from the community lending their time to get involved.
“We used to have everything from spelling bees to canoe races,” said Bunyan. “Finding capable and qualified volunteers is proving to be more and more difficult each year.”
The street dance on Saturday was received well, according to Bunyan, but he’d also like to grow the night of music into something that includes more than just local talent.
Bunyan said a partnership with Niagara Regional Exhibition is being explored for 2019.
“We’ve already started to formulate ideas for next year.”