Former residents came home to Castlegar this past weekend by the hundreds.
The Come Home to Castlegar weekend celebrating the 70th anniversary of Castlegar's incorporation as a village and its 50th anniversary of incorporation as a town was a huge success. "Everything went so well," said organizing committee president Joanne Baker. "Everyone that came was just thrilled that we had organized it. They were so amazed at how the city had changed over the years."
Visitors and locals alike enjoyed a variety of activities including pancake breakfasts, a wine and cheese reception, historic displays, photography displays, film viewings, a car show and tours of City Hall, Selkirk College, Stanley Humphries and Waldie Island. One of the highlights of the weekend was the Canada Day festivities put on by the City of Castlegar at Millennium Park.
Many local hotels reported an increase of customers over the weekend as visitors came from every single Canadian province and as far away as California and Hawaii.
"We went into it thinking that a couple of hundred people would be a success," added Baker, "but this was a major success." She also reported that support from the business community was amazing, organizers saw donations from the smallest businesses to the largest.
City Councillor Deb McIntosh described the weekend, "Stories of yesteryear, escapades told and screeches of laughter as memories were recounted." She also added a shout-out to those who made it happen: "I am increasingly proud of this city and the volunteers that organized such a great weekend event. Volunteers are the true essence of any community and boy do we have essence. This diverse group of people needs to be thanked for making this happen. Thank you Betty Lutz, Joanne Baker and Carolyn Rempel for rekindling the fire of this sweet love affair that we all have with the City of Castlegar and the regional district."