The streets had been crammed with vacation spirit on Saturday for the fifty fifth annual Assist Santa Toy Parade in downtown Ottawa. The custom helps to place presents underneath the tree for these much less lucky.
“It is lovely. There are millions of folks right here. We acquired our 57 floats lined up. Everybody’s excited and every little thing’s coming collectively,” stated Cameron Taylor of the Ottawa Skilled Firefighters Affiliation and chair of the Assist Santa Toy Parade.
The parade is a practice that many maintain pricey.
“We come right here yearly, for the household,” stated Samantha Borgon, who lives in Ottawa. “My favorite half is seeing everybody all joyful and joyful and everybody being all excited for every little thing to come back for Christmas.”
Hundreds lined the road to absorb the parade, which began at 11 a.m. at Elgin Avenue and Laurier Avenue earlier than travelling west to Financial institution Avenue after which south to Lansdowne.
The festivities are an opportunity for households to spend high quality time collectively.
“That is our first time and we’re very excited for the sweet canes I’d say,” stated Tom Witte, an Ottawa resident.
The parade is held by the Ottawa Skilled Firefighters Affiliation and goals to lift cash and donations for CTV’s Toy Mountain. Folks had been in a position to faucet their credit score or debit playing cards to donate or hand over donations and money.
“It is about households coming collectively,” stated Chief Paul Hutt of Ottawa Hearth Companies. “Serving to everyone in want this time of 12 months.”
The floats included metropolis councillors, Ottawa’s Transfer 100 and dozens of different group organizations.
CTV anchor Matt Skube was serving to to guage the floats as nicely.
“It was an absolute blast. Numerous Christmas spirit,” stated Skube. “Quite a lot of the totally different floats made it tough, but it surely was a ton of enjoyable.”
