La Ronge’s mayor hoped a Canada Day Do-Over celebration Friday night in the community would bring some closure to people still haunted by this summer’s wildfires.
The event included the parade and fireworks that had to be postponed while La Ronge was evacuated during the July 1 week, due to the approaching wildfires.
Mayor Thomas Sierzycki said the event is a light-hearted way to transition into more serious things.
“I would almost say it’s a little bit of closure to the event that transpired in the summer, of course we’re going through review processes and there will be public consultations, but this really kind of puts together that family closure to an event that displaced so many people. We’re back home, let’s have a parade and a celebration to commemorate that, enjoy some fireworks and just be happy,” he said.
He said a gathering like this “Do-Over” is important.
“This gives people time to reflect on their summer but also get back to the rhythm of doing business, back into the rhythm of school – being of course this last week started – and making sure everyone is comfortable in their life and then we can definitely have the important discussion,” he said.
It’s also a way to celebrate that the community was saved.
“I think it’ll really will show that La Ronge has come together, not only during the fires but people are just happy to be home, to be one another. La Ronge is, you know, a tight-knit community and when one of us hurts or a group of us hurt like this summer people really rally around each other,” Sierzycki said.
Sierzycki says a review of the town’s emergency measures has been completed and will be discussed with members of the public in a meeting next month.