January 1st is Thunder Bay’s Birthday
THUNDER BAY – Happy Birthday Thunder Bay! It was on January 1, 1970, that the City of Thunder Bay was formed. As we draw to the end of 2018, once again we are nearing our city’s birthday. Our then new city was a merger of the cities of Fort William, Port Arthur, and the geographic townships of Neebing and McIntyre.
On January 1, 2018, Thunder Bay will turn forty-eight years young. On the City of Thunder Bay website, there are listings for a New Year’s Eve event at Fort William Historical Park and the Slovak Legion. There is nothing on New Year’s Day listed yet again.
Thunder Bay’s birthday is not really celebrated in our community. Maybe, with some vision and civic pride, we should start celebrating our city’s birthday.
It could be a combined celebration starting at midnight on New Year’s Eve with fireworks and a greeting of the new year, followed on January 1st with a family celebration at Marina Park complete with skating, entertainment, and even birthday cake.
Such a celebration should be a community event that recognizes all of the wonderful culture and heritage of our community. If we became really creative, we could be expanding it to a small winter festival that includes Fort William Historical Park, the Thunder Bay Museum, and a Pow Wow.
Likely the entertainment district in the Port Arthur downtown core would be completely willing to jump in with live music and events throughout the downtown district.
We all live in a very special city, that we seem willing to allow our city’s birthday to slide by unnoticed is not something that should happen.
So who is interested in making sure that Thunder Bay’s birthday is celebrated with pride?
James Murray
