As North Bay celebrates its annual Old Fashioned Christmas Walk this evening, the executive director of the Downtown Improvement Area has a couple of safety tips to keep in mind. Jeff Serran says it’s important that people respect the barricades used to close off Main Street. That’s to protect the pedestrians as they walk from shop to shop. Serran says another traffic concern for the motoring public to keep in mind is a lane reduction on Oak Street. He says the inside lane is the one the horse and wagon will take in an effort to make it easier for it to get around back to Main. As for rides on the wagon, the pickups are at the Chamber of Commerce office and CIBC.
A large number of residents always turn out for the Christmas Walk. The number can range from 10,000 to as many as 14,000 depending on the weather. Serran has been involved with numerous Christmas Walks and recalls sometimes he’s dressed in a parka because of the frigid cold and on rare occasions he has dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and running shoes because of temperatures well above freezing.
The lighting of the tree will take place at 6:00pm this evening. It includes Mayor Al McDonald, MP Anthony Rota and MPP Vic Fedeli. And of course, there’s also Santa and Mrs. Claus and other officials.
