Northlands to cease operations, Explore Edmonton to manage K-Days
Explore Edmonton is taking over K-Days and Farmfair International as of July 5 and Northlands is ceasing its operations.
Explore Edmonton interim CEO Maggie Davison said the city agency will take on the responsibility "with a mandate to reimagine and reinvent" the events. While she called the new chapter an exciting one, Davidson noted in an announcement on Thursday "the moment is very bittersweet."
Northlands -- the non-profit organization that would later host the NHL at its Coliseum and horse racing at its track -- originated in 1879, first as a livestock and farm exhibition.
But recently, the organization faced many challenges which were exacerbated by the pandemic, according to president and CEO of two years Peter Male. He said the organization was in the middle of figuring out how to breathe new life into K-Days and Farmfair International when COVID-19 "just wiped us off the map."
"We were looking at the picture from a high level and going, 'Look, there's duplication of infrastructure, duplication of costs all over the place," Male recalled.
He added it "made good sense" for the city's tourism department to take them on since it had begun to manage operations of the EXPO Centre.
"(Northlands) has left an indelible mark on Edmonton and will always be a treasured part of the city's history.
"We are all very proud of the legacy of our organization, a legacy that truly belongs to the dedicated staff, the tireless volunteers who have sustained Northlands for almost a century and a half. On behalf of everyone at Northlands, I want to sincerely thank them for their dedication to the organization and to Edmonton."
FARMFAIR 2021 A GO
Davison declined to reveal Explore Edmonton's plans for Northlands employees, saying the details were still being worked through.
As for the thousands of volunteers who help put on the big events, she said they would be contacted about remaining involved.
Of the future vision for the summer festival and agriculture exhibition, she said Explore Edmonton would be looking for the public's feedback over the summer.
"We'll definitely be building back Farmfair International to its former glory because we do take pride in our agriculture activities, and we want EXPO and Edmonton to be the place for the future of Farmfair International," Davison commented, confirming plans that event would go forward in the fall.
"It will likely look a little different than previous years, but we think it's important to let partners and stakeholders know we do plan to move ahead."
And K-Days 2022 "needs to be nothing short of spectacular," Davison said. Northlands cancelled K-Days 2021 on June 1, citing a "hard look" at whether it "could deliver a high-quality event given limited timelines and resources."
Because Explore Edmonton hadn't, at the time, planned on putting on Farmfair, it will be making a funding request of the city, its CEO confirmed.
In 2020, the City of Edmonton asked Explore Edmonton and Northlands to look at the feasibility of working together to host K-Days and Farmfair International, and what was the most sustainable path forward for both the organization and the events. Over the winter, the parties confirmed publicly they were exploring options.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.