The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Calgary Stampede vendors fear the worst
CALGARY — For more than four decades, many have visited the Alberta Boot Company’s factory each summer in search of perfect footwear for the Calgary Stampede.
The traditional cowboy boot manufacturer has helped outfit Stampede-goers since 1978, but with the uncertainty that surrounds the 2020 edition of the event because of COVID-19, its own future could be in jeopardy.
“At this point in time, it’s looking like things aren’t going to go ahead as originally planned,” said Alberta Boot Company president Ben Gerwing.
“We’re getting more and more nervous about what’s going to happen.”
No decision has been made on whether the Calgary Stampede will be cancelled, or possibly delayed, this year.
The City of Calgary has banned all public events until the end of June in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The annual 10-day event is scheduled to take place July 3 to 12.
Planning for this year’s Stampede has been on hold since restrictions were placed on mass gatherings.
“This is a difficult time and, like all of our community members and partners, the Stampede is focusing on how to navigate through this evolving global concern,” spokeswoman Kristina
Barnes said in an email, adding, “this decision is bigger than us.”
“We will continue to be paused until we receive further direction from our government partners.”
The organization temporarily laid off close to 900 staff — around 80 per cent of its workforce — last month amid uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who serves on the Stampede’s board of directors, said Tuesday he anticipates an announcement on the fate of this year’s festivities “soon.”
“The board is being very thoughtful, thinking about what the right thing to do is for the organization, for all the community initiatives that it supports, but also for public health,” the mayor said.
On Monday, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw warned that “super-spreader events” — those where one infected person could spread COVID19 to upwards of 30 others — might remain on hold even longer than other measures meant to contain the outbreak.
That statement followed the cancellation of the longrunning Edmonton International Fringe Festival, which was scheduled to take place Aug. 13 to 23.
“Until we have a vaccine or some other means of ensuring widespread immunity, some of these gatherings are going to be the riskiest kinds of activities to engage in, especially gatherings that bring together people from all over the country or all over the world,” said Hinshaw.