CORNWALL, Ontario – Santa Claus will be making a different trek through Cornwall this year.
But some downtown merchants aren’t pleased.
Organizers of the annual Santa Claus parade are expected to officially announce in the coming days that the man in red will end his pilgrimage at the Cornwall Civic Complex instead of the Royal Canadian Legion as has happened in previous years.
The parade will still start at St. Lawrence High School and travel west on Second Street, but will veer to the south at Marlborough Street and link up with Water Street before ending at the complex.
Terry Muir, chair of the event, said in an interview the reason is the parade has outgrown its home at the legion.
“Parking was a major issues,” he said. “And people weren’t coming in after the parade.”
But changing the parade route has left some downtown merchants upset.
“This is a slap in the face,” said Andre Pommier, owner of Pommier Jewellers at the corner of Pitt and Second streets. “We do a lot on the corner.”
The longtime businessman recently built Pommier Court at the corner, which has been a place where hot chocolate and other goodies are handed out during the parade.
“We do all kinds of things for the kids,” he said. “This is really going against tradition. It’s always been on Second Street.”
Pommier suggested the move is “unacceptable” and wants to lobby for the parade route to perhaps include a turn at Pitt Street so that more of the downtown can be incorporated.
This year the parade awards will be handed out in the salons at the complex and the public is invited to attend.
The parade is still slated to begin at 5 p.m., Nov. 21 from St. Lawrence High School.
More information on the parade can be found at cornwallsantaclausparade.com.
