Canadian Tulip Festival: Ottawa, Canada May 2015

[Robin Craig]

Eric,

no the form did not come through and no it isnt on the veterans tribute webpage either.

Will call you at home and send an email to Jeff M

FYI the Tulip Festival webpage has a different timing for the parade from what I can see

R

[Eric B]

Hello Robin and All

I guess i can't download word files so will now try a PDF.

I am only involved in helping to organize the Parade.

The info i have posted is tentative and is based on previous similar events, such as the Ceremony around the National War Memorial when it poured with rain 5 years ago.

When i receive final confirmation of times, locations etc i will post an update.

Thanks
Eric

[Eric B]

Hello

I hope to have a final draft of plans tomorrow.

As a heads up... this is NOT a parade. This is a ceremony enhanced by the addition of vintage military vehicles and re-enactors.

As it is a weekday there will be no full street closures.

As a result there are some restrictions and limitations, which i hope to be able to advise by tomorrow evening.

We will need to know who is participating by the end of next week.
We also need to know the approximate length of the vehicle in meters and how many places are available for Veterans.

Thanks
Eric

[Eric B]

Hello

I made an error yesterday. This Friday 17 April is the cut off date for registering for any of the Ottawa Tulip Festival events, including the Ceremony at the National War Memorial.

Due to space limitations around the National War Memorial, we will not be permitting anything towed, i.e. trailers, guns etc.

Only vehicles bearing valid license plates will be permitted.

We are also looking at limiting the number of participants.

Fore those already registered I have lengths estimated and am assigning two Veterans per vehicle other than MC's, Mules and only one Veteran in any closed cab.
Thanks

Eric

[Michael R.]

The logistics of this event must be somewhat frustrating for the organizers. It certainly has been disappointing for our small local group of universal carrier owners from a few hundred miles outside the immediate Ottawa area as we spent time and money towards preparing to attend what was originally envisoned, in part, to be an anniversary liberation parade.

From my viewpoint it appears the will does not exist in Ottawa to support the dedicated efforts of the event organizers. This apparent lack of support by those Canadians in both an administrative and political position to enable and enhance the event is in stark contrast to how the Dutch in the Netherlands behave in similar circumstances. Of course the Dutch knew and still remember the human costs of having been an occupied country. Shame on those Canadians who may have participated in putting up artifical barriers to a memorial parade that could (in my self serving, narrow, one sided view) have also included in a small part, the iconic tracked armour and supporting equipment that is correct to the period.


My best wishes that the event exceeds expectations and does justice to the memory of not only our Allied and Canadian veterans, but also that of the Dutch people who lost so much and have been ever appreciative of the Allied effort, and in particular the Canadians during the liberation of the Netherlands.

[Bob Carriere]

Do you think they limit participants for the Gay Pride Parade........

I feel bad for the volunteers that have worked so hard only to be jerk around by Pubic servants who will not have the parade/ceremony on a Saturday because of the over time.

What a crock!!!!!!

[chris vickery]

I understand the critism here of our Canadian government but if you refer to the post regarding the Toronto parade, it seems as if there is little support by the Dutch government as well.

[Michael R.]

Under ideal circumstances I would have appreciated knowing in October, 2014 that we are excluded from participating in a liberation ceremony with tracked armour. My best wishes that the Festival continues to be the success it has become.

[Eric B]

Hello

Thank you Stuart

As stated earlier this is NOT A PARADE.

This is a National Commemoration Service organized by DND and Veterans Affairs Canada at the National War Memorial.

The Ottawa Tulip Festival (Who is their own entity and is not the Canadian Government) invited the re-enactor world and MV owners to participate in their events. A Military encampment/ battle etc was envisioned including a PARADE. Some of the re-enactors and MV owners volunteered to help.

When the Tulip Festival organizers eventually started to seriously look at a parade, they discovered that VAC and DND had already booked a date and submitted a permit for a Ceremony...as a result they offered the MV’s for the event, not knowing the difference between a Parade and a Ceremony. (Sometimes both are put together)

When i was approached to assist with the PARADE it took me a while to eventually hook up with my old contacts to get the answers that i needed. Thus i discovered that this is NOT A PARADE and could not be made into one due to the restrictions already in place.

This event is on a weekday; therefore roads in the vicinity cannot be closed for any significant period of time. Only rolling closures will take place to get the Ceremony participants from a - b. Only one lane will be closed nearest to the NWM on the east and west side during the service.

There is only room for the MV's to park on the west side. Thus restricting space, which is why no trailers, towed guns etc will be permitted.

There is no available space available to unload un-plated vehicles and then to park the tow vehicle with trailer. As a result we have to limit participants to those that can get to the staging area under their own power legally.

The Dutch Government is not involved in any of the planning.

This is not what any of us had envisioned when we heard about a PARADE being planned but it is the best we can come up with under the circumstances.

As Stuart indicated all vehicles are still welcome to participate in the Tulip
Festival Events.

Thanks

Eric