Crossfield is looking forward to welcoming the New Year with a bang.
In a year-end interview with Rocky View Weekly just after Christmas, Mayor Kim Harris said her entire community was looking forward to celebrating the New Year together at Amery Park in Crossfield on Saturday, Dec. 31, to cap off what has admittedly been a challenging year.
“We are going to have a fireworks display like we did last year, and we received funding from the Canadian Heritage Fund for that,” said Harris. “And we are asking everybody to wear your best Canadian fashion – toques and bunny hugs, Thunder Bay Dinner Jackets, and Saskatchewan Tuxedos are all encouraged.”
On top of that, Harris explained, there will be community bonfires, public skating at the town’s recreation centre, and free hot drinks for residents who come out on Saturday.
According to Harris, there is plenty to celebrate as Crossfieldians get set to put a difficult year, in which many local residents suffered beneath the weight of sky-high inflation, behind them.
“I think 2023 will be a year to celebrate – to have good family time and gatherings,” she said. “Let’s just move forward.”
Harris said, despite inflation-related challenges, 2022 had a lot of positives Crossfieldians could take away from the year, including a return of many special community events like the Crossfield Rodeo, the Crossfield Elks Demolition Derby, and the regular weekly farmers’ markets.
But she reserved her special praise for Town staff, who effectively stretched hard-to-come-by public dollars to make 2022 a little better for all residents.
“I think a really positive highlight for me, and for the town, is how Town staff has been able to do a lot of small things, and provide a lot of small wins, for our residents on a very small budget,” she confirmed. “I think that takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and a lot of care for our community.”
For Harris, it was not just the big community events that were the highlight of 2022, but the small and meaningful things which stand out best in her memory. She points to Crossfield's recent community Christmas celebration as an example.
“The lighting up of our downtown is just beautiful,” she said. “We haven’t had such beautiful lights in years.”
Harris said she, like many in Crossfield, learned to appreciate even more the supportive and compassionate community they call home in 2022 as they get set to move together into a new calendar year.
“I think if we all go in (to 2023) with a positive attitude, look on the bright side, and help anybody who needs help to move forward in the same way,” she stated. “I think that will do our community a lot of good.”
The Crossfield community New Year’s Eve celebration goes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Amery Park on Dec. 31.
