Dear editor:

Niagara-on-Lake loves a parade. Crowds line the streets and cheer on the Christmas Tractor Parade in Virgil, the Christmas Parade in the Old Town and the Canada Day Cake Walk on Queen Street.

The only parade that hasn’t drawn cheering crowds is the Parliament Oak heavy truck parade which has run daily since last fall, even though it touches much of the community.

Highway 55, Virgil, Mississagua Street, Mary Street and King Street in the Old Town. Hundreds of heavy truck runs, which even pass both primary schools leaving diesel fumes and mud in their wake.

And now our town councillors are being asked to be the grand marshals of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and tourist rental heavy truck parade (“SORE says new Rand plan ‘flies in the face’ of OLT ruling,” May 21, The Lake Report).

The conga line of trucks will go on for years, another parade to celebrate developers and tourists rolling over the town’s streets and residents.

What parade route will it follow? Certainly not past the winery on John Street — that would be bad for business. Charlotte and Niagara streets will be the fastest way in and out.

With such a short route dozens of times a day for years, perhaps this heavy truck parade will attract a crowd eager to celebrate the vision of our current town council and staff.

We love a parade here. Even if it rolls over us and breaks our backs while it destroys our town.

Rick Monette
NOTL