The Gleaner team, like much of the province, will be taking a step back and relaxing while on vacation over the next two weeks. During the period known collectively as the construction holiday, almost one third of all Quebecers will be found road tripping, poolside, or taking in local events and activities while enjoying some much-deserved time off.
For those staying closer to home in the Valley, there is plenty to look forward to over the next few weeks, including the annual Corn Festival in Saint-Anicet, the Valley Flower Show in Ormstown, the Festival Familiale de la Gourmandise in Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, and the family festival in Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague. There are also numerous opportunities to enjoy different aspects of our beautiful Valley from the waters of Lake Saint-François and the Chateauguay River to bountiful berry farms and orchards, or any number of day adventures discovering new cafés, boutiques and restaurants in neighbouring municipalities.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games will also provide some distraction as of July 26, as 338 Canadian athletes go for gold in 329 events over 19 days of competition. New to these Games will be the sport of breaking, more commonly known as breakdancing, where B-girls and B-boys (including Canada’s Philip Kim) square off in improvised battles. Kayak cross will also debut in Paris, marking the first time at the Olympics that canoe slalom athletes with race against one another on the same course. Skateboarding and surfing, which were introduced at the Tokyo games, will also return, though surfers will compete in Teahupo’o on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. These Games, which have been heralded as the first to achieve gender parity, will also mark the first time that men will participate in artistic swimming events.
Distractions can be a good thing while on vacation, but not while driving. Unfortunately, the construction holiday is also associated with a spike in road accidents. Please bear this in mind as road traffic swells with vacationers beelining for the beach and other destinations.
On behalf of the Gleaner team, we wish all a relaxing and safe summer vacation.
Sarah Rennie