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Port Alberni Toy Run pushes back over proposed First Night changes

Toy Run organizers worry they are being ‘pushed out’ of New Year’s Eve event
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The annual First Night balloon drop takes place at 9 p.m. at the Glenwood Centre. (SONJA DRINKWATER PHOTO)

The City of Port Alberni is planning to take the lead on First Night activities this New Year’s Eve. However, members of the Port Alberni Toy Run feel they are being “pushed out” of an event that they have helped to organize for more than 20 years.

Members of the Toy Run approached Port Alberni city council on Monday, March 11, concerned about a report that recommends First Night activities will be “city-led” in 2024.

For more than 20 years, said Toy Run chairman David Wiwchar, the Toy Run has spent every New Year’s Eve helping the city to organize a First Night event at the Glenwood Centre, where children can enjoy free roller skating, hot dogs, a toy giveaway and a balloon drop.

READ MORE: Port Alberni celebrates the arrival of 2024 with First Night activities

“Today we’re being told that our funding and assistance are no longer appreciated or wanted,” said Wiwchar.

The conversation first came up at a committee of the whole meeting on March 4, 2024, where director of parks, recreation and culture Willa Thorpe brought forward a report outlining a number of events that take place throughout the year in Port Alberni. Some are city-led, while some are collaborative and some events (such as the annual Remembrance Day ceremony) have no city involvement at all.

One of Thorpe’s recommendations was that First Night activities at the Glenwood Centre, which have previously been run in partnership with the Port Alberni Toy Run, should be “city led.” The Toy Run, meanwhile, will be “welcome to run their own activities” separate from the city event and will be required to obtain their own insurance.

“If the Toy Run wishes to continue their portions [of the First Night event], they may do so,” said Thorpe. “But separate them a little bit, so that way we can focus our staffing efforts on our specific portion of the event and those volunteers can run those sections as they wish.”

The Toy Run has in the past provided food and toy giveaways, and also organizes the popular “balloon drop” that takes place at 9 p.m. to correspond with the Eastern Standard Time countdown to midnight.

Thorpe said that the timing of the balloon drop “has been a challenge” for city staff, as it runs “later in the evening than preferred” for the city.

Wiwchar told council on March 11 that the timing of the balloon drop has never been brought up as a concern to organizers and it was, in fact, the city’s former recreation manager—Ron Doetzel—who suggested the balloon drop should take place at 9 p.m.

“In this era of cost-cutting, why wouldn’t the city want to partner with the few remaining community groups who want to help with funding and volunteering at city events?” Wiwchar wondered.

Jeff Cook, another member of the Toy Run, says that it doesn’t matter who runs the First Night events—families are simply happy that the activities are free of charge.

“The Toy Run’s No. 1 purpose is ‘for the kids,’” said Cook.

Toy Run members asked city council to “reject” the recommendation from staff to make First Night a city-led event.

“We urge parks and recreation managers to work with us—and not against us,” said Wiwchar.

Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions told the Toy Run on March 11 that there is “no intent” to take away what they have been contributing to First Night activities.

“I think the intent of this was to look for ways to help support the event, not take one group out of it,” she said.

Council agreed to refer the discussion about city involvement in local events to a future committee of the whole meeting.

While Coun. Todd Patola recused himself from the Toy Run portion of the discussion (because he is a director on the Toy Run committee), he said that council needs to have a more comprehensive discussion about city events, in general.

“This needs much more information and some greater development of an overarching policy,” said Coun. Todd Patola. “I think in that way, it’s best to refer it to a committee of the whole.”