Royal visit.
At a rehearsal of this Saturday’s Prince and the Prior re-enactment, Daniel Galbraith (John Scott) officially welcomes the Prince of Wales (Martin Boersma) on behalf of the town, area reeves, county council members and the sheriff. Galbraith was the warden of the United Counties of Lanark and Renfrew. He represented Lanark North in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1867 to 1872 and in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal from 1872 to 1879. The re-enactment run-through was held Sunday at Robert Simpson Park. The real thing happens this Saturday, July 3 starting about 10 a.m.
John Carter
The Prince of Wales is definitely coming to Arnprior this
Saturday, July 3, but is Queen Elizabeth the Second?
The re-enactment of the 1860 visit to Arnprior of the Prince of Wales has
generated a great deal of interest, particularly as the Queen will be in Canada
on a royal visit.
Back in February, Prince and the Prior organizers invited
Queen Elizabeth to the celebration. They still hold out hope Her Royal Highness
may actually make a quick stop in Arnprior Saturday morning.
“There is still a slight possibility she may come,” said
Arnprior and District Museum curator Janet Carlile Sunday, as she watched a
run-through of the Prince and the Prior re-enactment at Robert Simpson
Park.
Security officials have visited Arnprior, but made it
clear it was one of several possible venues they were checking out just in case
the Queen were to make a stop.
The timing would be tight. Queen Elizabeth and Prince
Philip were scheduled to arrive in Ottawa
at noon Wednesday and were to take part in Canada Day celebrations in the
nation’s capital. After a quiet day in Ottawa
Friday, they will fly to Winnipeg Saturday,
arriving about 1:30 p.m. Ottawa
time.
Queen or no queen, organizers expect a large turnout at
Prince and the Prior, partly buoyed by the leap in interest in royalty that
always comes with a royal visit
Carlile said it is difficult to predict, considering this
is a one-time event with no admission charge, but wouldn’t be surprised if at
least 2,500 people show up. Other estimates range as high as 8,000, which would
double Arnprior’s population. Among the visitors will be the British Deputy
High Commissioner.
Carlile admits the weather will likely play a major role
(the long-term forecast is for a sunny weekend).
Nevertheless, she is delighted with the interest shown in
the event from people in Arnprior and many parts of the Ottawa Valley.
Organizers have been promoting the event by dressing up
in their period costumes and showing up in places such as the Ottawa markets, the Carp Market and the
Arnprior Mall on the last couple of weekends.
Sunday’s run-through attracted a great deal of interest
in the park where the Prince will land about 10:30 a.m. this Saturday escorted
by a flotilla of canoes filled with shantymen and First Nations
representatives.
“People have been really enthused by the idea,” Carlile
said. "We’ve been enormously heartened that so many people in Arnprior and
area have wanted to be a part of it ... it has captured people’s imaginations.”
She noted the initiative has come a long way since last
August when 11 people signed the heritage grant application. Since then 300
people have lined up to help in one way or the other.
“The response has been extraordinary,” she said. “People
have come out of the woodwork to help. Their enthusiasm and dedication has been
very gratifying.”
Carlile said she hopes Arnprior and area residents reward
the hard work by showing up in large numbers Saturday, noting 150 years ago the
whole town showed up to greet the Prince. “In fact, the whole area showed up,”
she said, noting the event wasn’t publicized, but the news spread by
word-of-mouth.
“We’re surrounded by history, but so often we get
fiction,” she said. “But this visit was fact ... it was a highly important
event for this place. It’s a part of our history, our heritage.”
A great deal of work has been done to ensure the
re-enactment is authentic. The actors and animators will be in period costumes
that have been painstakingly collected and made for the occasion.
Among the 150 volunteers acting in the re-enactment is Arnprior District High School
graduate Martin Boersma, who plays Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales. Boersma
is excited about the opportunity, having just graduated from Concordia University
in theatre performance.
Prior to the arrival Saturday, the narrator and animators
will offer spectators background information about the Prince and his visit.
When he arrives, a piper will play, a cannon will fire, and horses and
carriages will arrive at the beach.
“It will be fun,” said Carlile.
To assist people attending the event, organizers have
arranged for a roving school bus to take people to and from the park for free.
There will be extra parking available at local schools, churches (except for
the United Church,
which is holding a wedding) and Galilee for
Prince and the Prior-goers.
Carlile stresses there will be plenty of disabled parking
spots designated in Robert
Simpson Park.
After the Prince is welcomed to Arnprior, there will be a
number of festivities including a lumber jack show (1:30, 2:30, 3:30), vintage
photography displays, food, fiddlers, dancers, heritage displays and children’s
activities including a Bertie Bear Tea party in the gazebo at 1 p.m.
A 12:30 p.m. luncheon based on
the meal provided the Prince in 1860 had only eight tickets left as of Sunday.