Canada Day celebrations in Polson Park in 2024 (Liam Verster / Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Canada Day Celebrations

City council provides support to Canada Day celebrations in Vernon

May 27, 2025 | 10:59 AM

Canada’s 158th birthday will be marked at Polson Park and the City of Vernon will support the celebrations.

The Vernon Okanagan Inspired Community Events (VOICE) Society will host the July 1 event that features numerous activities and celebrations, though no light show, at the park in downtown Vernon, and requested the city provide support to make sure the event runs smoothly.

The in-kind contributions the organization requested from the city include:

• Event tables and chairs
• Waving the fees for, and granting, a business license, events permit, and rental fees
• A parks keys for gate and pavilion access
• A parks employee on site from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Six porta potties
• On-site traffic control to assist with parking
• A temporary permit for entertainment, including for the skate competition
• $12,000, as previously outlined in the 2025 budget

Approval of the supports were subject to the VOICE Society securing liability insurance with the city being names as additional insured.

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During the regular meeting Monday, May 26, council heard that staff would work with the VOICE Society to determine when traffic management personnel would be needed on site.

Mayor Victor Cumming again encouraged staff and the organization to approach area businesses and see if they could use their parking lots free of charge on July 1. Parking will not be available at the park due to the Vernon Creek Naturalization project taking up the majority of the space within Polson, and the remainder reserved for vendors, food trucks, and the VOICE Society.

Council voted unanimously in favour of supporting the Canada Day celebrations.