ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Barb Sweet
The Telegram
St. John’s, your Regatta Day holiday this year could be a long weekend now that the big event has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Danny Breen said Thursday city staff are looking at options and will bring it to council, likely Monday.
A Monday holiday in August is the preferred option in line with other civic holidays in the province.
It’s also a provincial shops closing day, so it’s easier on businesses to have it on a Monday rather than a Friday.
“It seems logical to look at moving it for this year,” Breen said of the opportunity for St. John’s to have an August long weekend instead of a middle-of-the-week holiday.
The Royal St. John’s Regatta committee announced early Thursday morning its decision to cancel the annual regatta. It is the first time in 80 years the event has been cancelled.
The CIty of St. John’s Act does not name a specific date for Regatta Day, as it can change due to weather factors.
The Placentia Rowing Club announced Thursday its regatta is cancelled, and the Harbour Grace Regatta is off as well.
"We were really left with no choice, said Placentia Rowing Club president Gene Collins.
"We fully agree with the restrictions anyway."
"Obviously, the event itself can’t happen," said Harbour Grace Regatta committee director/secretary Elizabeth Baker.
Baker said the committee was mulling over a mini event in late fall, but that's doubtful as well, as safety is the prime concern for everyone.
She said besides the crowds that would turn out to the regatta, putting seven people in a boat together is unsafe.
“We’re kind of thinking the whole summer will be cancelled, basically,” Baker said.
The year started off hard for the Harbour Grace Regatta, which lost longtime president Bud Chafe at age 83 in January. He was such a face of the event, the boathouse at Lady Lake is named the Albert "Bud" Chafe Rowing Centre.
Baker said grounds work will continue this year, as well as upkeep and renovations at the regatta site.
“Everything (maintenance) will go ahead as normal, you just won’t actually be able to sit in a shell,” she said, adding it’s hoped next year’s crowd — assuming the COVID-19 pandemic is over and done with — will draw even more supporters if absence makes the heart grow fonder for the event.
“We’re praying this will help us out next year."
The Harbour Grace Regatta typically draws 17-20 crews and about 2,500 to 3,000 people.
An avid volunteer always going at something, Baker listed a number of events, starting with hockey and including other sports activities, as well as cadet camp, that are off her plate this year.
“It’s terrible. I’ve got to sit in my backyard and have a fire all summer,” she said.
“Whatever the provincial government says — no festivities — there won’t be anything happening in the town of Harbour Grace,” said Deputy Mayor Sonia Williams, a coxswain.
The Placentia Regatta draws about 5,000 people.
“It is with tremendous regret that the Placenta Rowing Club finds itself in the unenviable position that we must cancel the 2020 annual Placenta Regatta, along with the associated activities,” Collins announced Thursday.
He said the committee will turn its attention to making the 2021 regatta the best yet.
The province’s legislation on civic holidays is one public holiday per year designated by a municipality outside all the other other holidays.
But it officially recognizes that St. John’s and Harbour Grace are unique in that the municipal holiday is tied to a regatta.
Harbour Grace already observed its holiday on the Monday following the Saturday Regatta.
The Royal St. John’s Regatta is held annually on the first Wednesday in August, weather permitting, and is the oldest continuing sporting event in North America, with its 200th anniversary in 2018. It is also the largest tourism event in Newfoundland and Labrador, drawing crowds of up to 50,000, the regatta committee said in a news release early Thursday morning.
“It is with great disappointment that we announce the official cancellation of the 2020 Royal St. John’s Regatta,” said president Bradley Power.
“The Royal St. John’s Regatta committee is in full agreement with the direction provided by government and health officials regarding large-scale events and will continue to take all necessary actions to support the protection of our community in this difficult time.”
The Royal St. John’s Regatta committee said it will provide details on a new consultation process in the coming days. Rowers, coxswains, managers, crew representatives, family members, sponsors, vendors and the public will be invited to provide input on the operation of the Regatta once public health emergency restrictions are lifted and mass gatherings can take place again. The consultation will be held online and participants will be required to register in advance.
According to the Royal St. John’s Regatta official history, from 1861-70, there were no regattas held due to political and religious strife within the then-country of Newfoundland. It was feared such a gathering would instigate riot and unrest among the many people of the country and lead to more turmoil and anger, the official history notes.
After the fire of 1892, there was no regatta because the Quidi Vidi Lake shores were used as temporary housing for those who lost their homes.
In 1914, the regatta was held, but under dark circumstances, as the First World War had begun in Europe, and people realized Newfoundlanders would be shipping overseas to aid in the war effort with Britain, the regatta history explains. Out of respect for those fighting in the war, no regattas were held from 1915-18.
There was no event again in 1940, due to the Second World War. But American, Canadian and Newfoundland military commanders contended it would be a distraction from the war and an opportunity to keep their men in shape, so it was reinstated in 1941, according to the historical compilation.
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