It's been an eventful year in Stephenville with the town celebrating 50 years since its incorporation in 1952.
The 50th Anniversary Committee was formed last year to carry out planning and promotion of events, activities and even a commemorative book to recognize this special occasion.
Roger Hulan, general manager of the committee, says the final event of the year will be a parade on Sept. 30. Upon leaving work and school on that particular Monday, residents will be treated to a parade of music, militia, former mayors and more.
The entourage will parade down Main Street, starting from the old Bank of Montreal site (around the middle of Main Street) to the Delta Dagger Air Force jet, in front of the Town of Stephenville office.
From there, presentations will be made by municipal, provincial and federal representatives ending a great summer in Stephenville.
"Everything turned out really well for us this summer and we're really pleased with how smooth all of the events went," says Mr. Hulan.
Stephenville was host to a Rock and Roll Reunion and Classic Car Show in July which saw more classic cars in this region than was ever anticipated.
"We had more cars than we ever expected and the crowd turnout was outstanding for the car show, the reunion at the Dome and Stephenville Day."
Harmon Field Day was labeled a success as well even though it was thought that with the recent events of September 11, the show would not be possible.
The September 11 Memorial service which was organized by the anniversary committee also went over well at the Stephenville Airport. The service was in memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy and to commemorate the hundreds of volunteers in this area who were there to lend a helping hand to the passengers who were stranded here for days after the event.
"The memorial service was well received by the community and it was a great way to show our respects to those who helped out the 1,200 people who were in need of assistance.
"September 30 will cap off the summer with something the entire town can enjoy and will be a memorable event."
A 50th Anniversary Commemorative book will also be released in the fall of this year, outlining historical events, photos and personal stories that are unique to this area.
"This book gives people more insight on the town's history. We've always had a rich history but we only focused on a few points of it. The events of the summer have let people see more of a rich history attached to Stephenville and Bay St. George.
"This summer saw an increase in tourists for this area and even more exposure. People are seeing now that we have a lot more to offer."
Editor's Note: in honour of the anniversary, historic photos of Stephenville may be found throughout this week's Georgian. Also, see the editorial on page 4.
