Calgarians saddle up for Stampede festivities as city recovers from water crisis
CBC
The show was always going to go on, hell or no water. Now, water crisis or not, the 112th edition of the Calgary Stampede is finally here.
"That's the thing about this city, we know when we need to band together and we step up and do it. That's how we got through this water crisis," Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Thursday morning at a pancake breakfast.
Still, as the city welcomes the world to its famous festival Friday, it is urging locals and tourists to practise water conservation while it stabilizes and fully restores its water system, which was badly hampered by a rupture to a critical feeder main on June 5.
Restrictions that were implemented because of the incident, including Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions and a fire ban, are still in place. But the Stampede's nightly fireworks are expected to go ahead as they have every year.
"Earlier during this water incident, it was heartening to see that the Calgary Stampede and their CEO, Joel Cowley, found a way to continue the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth in a responsible way," Gondek said during an update on the feeder main Thursday.
She added many of the Stampede's contingency plans, including having water storage tanks, remain in place.
Of course, it isn't the city's first rodeo where water woes have been front and centre during the Stampede.
In 2013, extensive June flooding forced thousands of people from their homes and left the Stampede grounds under water. Yet, the community rallied to host the event under the banner of "Hell or High Water."
"Over a decade ago, we were determining if we would be able to hold the Calgary Stampede after the southern Alberta floods," said Coby Duerr, deputy chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
"Now, Stampede comes on the tail end of a catastrophic water main break impacting water usage across Calgary."
Regardless of the challenge, Stampede officials say the community has demonstrated time and time again that it has the heart and grit to make things happen.
"For 112 years, we have come together in times of crisis like these last few weeks," said Kerrie Blizard, director of public safety and environment at the Calgary Stampede.
"And just as importantly, we have come together in times of celebration, like the days ahead."
Friday morning's parade will take over the downtown core and kick off the Stampede. Over the years, celebrities and notable names have served as parade marshal and this year is no different.