Despite a slightly subdued, COVID-19 era Canada Day, the reality of a pandemic and rain did not stop the Hope Motorsports Group from putting on a car parade and a fireworks show.
It was a rainy July 1, yet a small but dedicated group of classic car enthusiasts from down-Valley came cruising to and through Hope.
Classic cars, hot rods and motorcycles made their way to town, picking up a route map and a bottle of water from volunteers camped out in the blustery weather at Memorial Park.
The route took the drivers, who were from North Vancouver, Surrey, Langley and elsewhere, from downtown Hope, out to Kawkawa Lake and Silver Creek. Some drivers even cruised with their tops down, although they remarked as they slowed to a stop that it was getting a little cold.
The car cruise was a new way of doing a car show, amid the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on gatherings. Yet Scott Medlock, organizer with the motorsports group, and Dan McMillan with the bright yellow Camaro agreed this could become a recurring part of Canada Day in future years. One idea, McMillan said, was to bring people out to Hope the night before the car show, cruise around town, and stay overnight.
At 10 p.m. that night, residents were treated to a 15-minute long fireworks show. Also organized by the motorsports group, the display was a ‘high elevation’ show where people could either stay home and watch, watch from their cars or come by the 6 Avenue ball park, provided that they kept physically distanced from others not in their family or friend group ‘bubble.’
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