LRT construction will likely move route for Oktoberfest Parade and other events
Posted Feb 18, 2015 05:04:23 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Three popular events in Waterloo Region, including the Oktoberfest parade, are apparently on the move to different locations this year.
Construction on the Light Rail Transit system is to blame.
Regional Commissioner of Transportation and Environmental services, Thomas Schmidt admits that parade as well as the K-W Santa Claus Parade will in all likelihood have different routes this year.
He tells The Record, “The plan right now is at least for the period of time that there’s construction happening on King Street we are looking at Weber Street for the alternative.”
Also moving is the Sun Life Financial Waterloo Busker Carnival.
It’s been a mainstay on King Street in uptown Waterloo for over 25 years, but this week organizers announced that in 2015 it would set up shop in the parking lot behind Waterloo City Hall on Regina Street.
One man with plenty of local parade experience tells 570 News that people won’t be happy with the change.
Past District Governor of the Kitchener Lions Club and past President of K-W Oktoberfest, Jack Bishop says many families will miss the tradition of meeting on King Street.
“They’ve gone to the same spot, they park their car in the same spot. Now with the parade having to be moved because of construction, they’re going to have to go an find new spots and that will cause some upheaval.”
Bishop says it will be interesting to see what happens next year and whether or not the parades return to their original routes.
