Though it was a little smaller and a bit water-logged this year, organizers of the Fergus Truck Show say last week’s 24th annual show was still a success.
“Rain aside, everything went very smoothly,” said Mardi Billings, the show’s administrative assistant. “We had a lot of comments on how well organized it was.”
Billings noted that despite intermittent rain throughout the show from July 23 to 26, none of the concerts or truck and tractor pulls – or other features – were cancelled.
Yet she did admit the weather definitely affected the show’s overall attendance. Organizers were expecting over 75,000 visitors to this year’s event, and while final attendance numbers are not yet known, the actual total will likely fall well short of that figure.
“It affected our numbers, for sure,” Billings said of the weather.
About 180 vendors and 354 trucks in 51 classes registered for this year’s show, while about 1,000 volunteers helped make the show run smoothly, including 23 community groups. The 2008 show included 280 vendors and 429 trucks, with 32 community groups helping to supply volunteers.
And while the show was a little smaller, police remain concerned about alcohol related issues at the event, which this year led to 23 charges being laid, ranging from drinking under age, to being intoxicated or having open liquor in a public place.
“With the number of people attending our community and an event of this size, there has to be an expectation of issues,” said Wellington County OPP Sergeant Patrick Horrigan.
“The responsibility of the OPP is to ensure the issues are kept to a minimum and dealt with as early as possible.”
However, Horrigan wanted to stress the relationship between police and show organizers remains strong.
“Over the last ten years of the OPP policing in the community of Fergus and being the police of jurisdiction, there has never been a stronger relationship between the Fergus Truck Show and the police,” he said.
“There is great communication and co-operation between the police the township roads and recreation department, the Truck Show and the community.”
He noted the most effective way to prevent alcohol related offences is police presence, which was addressed this year in the form of foot patrols by uniformed officers and the use of a mobile command unit and a prisoner transport van at the concert events.
“This was possibly the best managed event for liquor offences and safety, however, 21 liquor tickets and two trespass tickets were issued,” Horrigan said.
He does not have exact figures from 2008, but Horrigan estimated there may have been less issues this year but definitely more police enforcement. He also noted the increased enforcement will continue at the show until police are satisfied with the results.
Billings acknowledged there were some problems with alcohol at this year’s show. She said part of the problem is campsites are booked online without organizers knowing the age of those booking.
This year there was an issue with underage drinkers and “partiers” in general, she said, and next year the show may set up two camping areas – one specifically for families – to try and minimize the issues.
Horrigan explained the purpose of police enforcement is not to ruin the fun of the participants, but rather to ensure “safe and secure communities, and reduce the number of vandalism and theft incidents, as well as attempt to eliminate any injury to people from drinking and driving and assault offences.”
He added police are continually looking for better ways to provide services, and anyone with ideas should call him at the County of Wellington OPP Fergus Detachment at 519- 843-4240.
