DAN CEARNS The Standard
UXBRIDGE: The Uxbridge Santa Claus Parade will remain a committee of Uxbridge council. Council members made the decision at a meeting on Monday, April 6th. At the meeting, the Uxbridge BIA’s Chair Christina Curry made a presentation. “We’ve noticed, as a business community, just that the parade has suffered a bit of a decline in the last couple years [in business involvement, sponsorships and attendance],” Ms. Curry told councillors. She added the parade was once “considered in the top 10 parades in the GTA.” Parade marketing wise, Ms. Curry stated, “relying on social media doesn’t work for everybody.” She then recommended the parade remain a committee of council. Earlier in the year, organizers Bernice and Chris Brown sent council a letter asking for the Santa Claus parade to be removed from having to be a committee of council. “Sadly, changes within the government, that are needing to be implemented by the township have made it difficult for a non-profit volunteer organization, with limited funding, to run as efficiently under the township’s committee of council umbrella,” the letter read. The letter added new information indicated “it isn’t necessary for [the parade] to be covered by the Township’s insurance and therefore [the parade] wouldn’t need to be a Committee of Council.” Despite differences of opinion between the Browns and the BIA, Ms. Curry explained the BIA is not trying to be “malicious” in their handling of the issue. “This is a Santa Claus parade, it is supposed to be fun,” Ms. Curry shared. “There is no malicious intent to this.” Council unanimously sided with the BIA on the issue. Ward 5 Councillor Todd Snooks opined that if Uxbridge taxpayer dollars are going into the event, then “there needs to be some accountability.”