Some Sarnia residents say the dark clouds on Sunday could have a silver lining when it comes to local tourism promotion.
The Float Down fiasco has brought international publicity to Sarnia, commending the city for its handling of the emergency created when 1,500 Americans were bought ashore, welcomed with hospitality and then bused back to Port Huron with the city picking up the $8,000 cost.
Mayor Mike Bradley has contacted Tourism Sarnia-Lambton General Manager Marlene Wood.
"A number of citizens, have said why not ask the tourism group to look at using this as a positive thing about coming to Sarnia," he says. "When you come to Sarnia, we take care of you. There have been a number of other instances world wide where these type of things have happened where a community has turned it around and bought them every more positive attention about what sort of community there are."
Meanwhile, a gofundme account established by some of the Float Down participants to help Sarnia cover the cost, had raised over $1,200 by noon Wednesday.