Busy Saturday in Cobourg

Every Saturday for most of the year, Cobourg has a Farmers market but this year there were several other events held downtown simultaneously.  King Street was closed for Harvest Festival which you might think had the products of Harvests – instead there were mostly street vendors since the Farmers’ market was still operating (see link below). The Harvest Festival also included  the popular Chili “cook-off” (winner King Street Deli and Bar) complete with entertainment (see photo below). But in addition, there was also the Art Walk and the Cornerstone fund-raising event “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”.  The Art Walk meant that several stores had the works of local artists on display in their windows but there were not as many as previous years when it was held on its own date.

Harvest Festival 2019
Harvest Festival 2019

This year marks the 12th annual  Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event – it has the dual objectives of fund-raising and “raising eyebrows and awareness to support and prevent family violence.”  Initially aimed at men it now includes both genders and all ages.  This year it was led by the Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drums and featured groups such as the Cobourg Cougars and the Port Hope Panthers hockey teams.  In the parade, I spotted  Mayor John Henderson, Police Chief Paul Vandegraaf and 6 auxiliary Police.  And they did walk about a mile – they started at the Cobourg Library, marched down King to Division then turned around and marched back.  They returned to a location outside Victoria Hall to turn in their borrowed shoes and then many lined up to try the various Chilis.

The photo above right shows a dog participating in the stall by “All Creatures Great and Small”.

Below is a collection of photos from the day and below that is a video of the Cornerstone event.

Below is a video of the Walk in Her Shoes Parade.

Links

For a look at the Farmers market, see the second video on this post starting at the 1:14 mark

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Robert
5 years ago

Enjoyed the harvest festival and walk a mile in her shoes the farmers market always interesting,, please advise why the town planners would close down esplanade parking and fence in all the waterfront condos and town houses to remove the boats from the Marina etc. , they seem to cage in theses units when ever there is a fair etc., plus all the business and restaurants were without parking they also closed off the beach access and rotary park exit to the esplanade they started this on Wednesday and some areas are still blocked on monday ?? tired of being caged in by fences . I understand the boat safety requirement but this is too much there must be a better solution

Frenchy
Reply to  Robert
5 years ago

The conspiracy theorists in me says that the town is going to try and make this boat lift in/out (by crane) so darn more cumbersome and inconvenient every year, that eventually we’ll all just throw up our hands in surrender and just say “put in your damn boat lift well”.

Old Sailor
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

Frenchy, I agree with you 100%. I gave up keeping a boat at Cobourg Marina a few years ago due to the disdain the Council and folks like the CTA had for boaters – boaters who are just renters of slips not evil two headed monsters who have any control of the harbour.

Why the town is downloading a ton of impediments to hauling out and launching boats at THEIR marina is beyond me. The users of the harbour like the sailors, Dragon Boaters and Cancer Survivor Thrivers are basically small organizations that are big time contributors to the town’s culture.

It would be so much easier for the town to offer an olive branch to these groups needing help to comply with the “Aquatic Safety Audit” – like the the Dragon Boaters and the Caner Survivor Thrivers – than to punish them for daring to use the harbour and provide enjoyment for so many Cobourg residents. I understand CYC and their Learn to Sail program had no Aquatic Safety Audit deficiencies.

jimq
Reply to  Old Sailor
5 years ago

Reading your comment it becomes evident that you were a renter only at the marina, and not involved with the CYC. If you had belonged to CYC, you would know that the CYC youth sailing programme is one of the safest and most supervised activities young people can participate in while having a great time and learning water and boating safety.

“The Sailing School, established in 1965 when the club first formed, is open to everyone who wishes to discover the challenge and excitement of sailing. The school offers instruction from Wet Feet (Optimist – Ages 7 – 10) through CANSail 1 to CANSail 4 (Age 9 – 15). All programs are taught to the Sail Canada standards and all of our instructor staff are Sail Canada certified.”

The CYC pays huge taxes to the Town, unlike the other groups now using the harbour for their activities and the profit of their organizer(s). The Town has a responsibility to ensure that all users of the harbour are safety compliant.

Frenchy
Reply to  jimq
5 years ago

jimq,
I read Old Sailor’s comment as that the sailing school was indeed safe. Congratulations to the CYC, nice to be ahead of the game.

“I understand CYC and their Learn to Sail program had no Aquatic Safety Audit deficiencies.”

And, please define “huge taxes”.

jimq
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

Yes Frenchy, ’tis nice to be ahead of the game. The sailing school has always been run using the Canadian Yachting Association safety regulations, which far exceed those shown on the present Town Safety Audit. Other harbour users must upgrade to meet the minimum safety standards as laid out in the Aquatic Safety Audit in order that the Town has no liability.

Perhaps “huge taxes” should simply read “property taxes”. The point is, non of the other harbour user groups pay property taxes, yet they seem to always be asking the Town for free this or free that.