Sarnia council has thrown its support behind a reinvented weekend walkabout.
A group of downtown businesses who recently formed a 2022 Summer Walkabout planning committee, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and the First Friday planning committee, told council that concerns and suggestions from the past two years were taken into account.
Mike Service with Night Life Bistro and Jazz Lounge said rather than shut down Christina Street every weekend in the summer, they will extend the First Friday concept to include Saturdays and Sundays for three weekends July 8-10, August 5-7 and September 2-4.
"Our goal is to have multiple events during each day of the street closure, drawing people to the downtown core, showing them what we have to offer," said Service. "We're including as many Front Street businesses as possible to come and display their wares on Christina Street during the closure. We're trying to include Mitton Street retailers and our goal is to just provide events on those three weekends and help businesses do a little bit better than we're all doing currently."
Service said a lot of lessons were learned in 2020 and 2021.
"What we found is, you've got to have events during the closure, otherwise there's no point to the closure. Closing the street down every weekend is too cumbersome for any committee to put events on every weekend."
The group said each Saturday will feature a theme that involves family-friendly events and activities, including live music.
Sundays will feature car shows in partnership with the Sarnia Street Cruisers.
While councillor Mike Stark congratulated the group for re-invigorating the First Friday concept, he voted against the proposal.
"I am fully in support of utilization of the sidewalks, and the commitment that we made as a city to allow use of the sidewalks," Stark said. "I do not think it is appropriate that we ask the citizenry of the City of Sarnia to give up access to Christina Street and effectively Front Street for this use."
While Saturday activities are being planned between George and Cromwell Streets, the group asked that the road closure be expanded to Wellington Street on Sundays to accommodate the car show.