A neighbourhood tradition carried on the best it could this year, despite being hindered by COVID-19 and cloudy skies.

The annual Chautauqua Residents Association corn roast saw no corn roasted this year. Instead it turned into a bring-your-own-picnic event, due to safety precautions amid the continuing global pandemic.

Still, the event drew about 50 residents of the neighbourhood to hang out socially distanced and keep the community spirit going.

John Gleddie, president of the residents association, said he was happy with the turnout and people supporting the organization.

"I think it's a step in the recovery of the COVID-19 crisis that we have. We're all socially distancing and having a good time and we're very pleased with it," he said.

"We're taking all the precautions here — we have hand gel, we're all social distancing, we have our gloves on. And we're just serving soft drinks and ice cream bars," Gleddie said.

"We really miss the corn because Buddy Andres usually does a fabulous job on the corn and it was kind of one of the hallmarks of our corn roast. But hopefully next year we'll be through this and we'll be back on track again."