June is Day Out With Thomas month at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park, as we get set to welcome as many as 18,000 visitors over the six days of the event. Thomas the Tank Engine is a big draw, and people are heading to our town from as far away as Edmonton and Calgary and the interior of British Columbia, as well as the Northwest United States.
This creates a great opportunity for all of us in Squamish, as these visitors will not only take in the Thomas event, but will also visit our shops, restaurants and other businesses and facilities. Make sure you are ready for them with a warm Squamish greeting. Watch for children with Thomas Tattoos on their arms and cheeks - that will be a sure clue of why they are here!
Over at the Heritage Park, preparations are in full swing with some major clean ups, painting and improvements. You'll notice new signage at the Heritage Park to spruce up our front entry. Check out how great the buildings look as the Brightbill Heritage House, the Mac Norris Station and the giant Carshop building all sport new coats of paint. Look a little further, and you'll find that the carshop has a new asphalt floor - no more dust when we work or when our guests visit Imagination Station during Thomas!
This raises a point about what the Day Out With Thomas is all about. It is a fundraiser for the Heritage Park, and most of the net funds raised through hosting and operating the event end up with the host museum and allow us to make improvements to our Park. Our Park hosts (some 50 per day) are volunteers who commit their time to help with the 3,000 daily guests who come. The total event should generate almost $1 million in economic impact to the community, as we consider suppliers, direct participants, as well as the spin off to other businesses. Please help us make our guests welcome - we want them all to come back!
