BAY ROBERTS COMMUNITY SPIRIT
An outstanding feature of Bay Roberts is the town's community spirit. The imprint of an active, involved community is visible in all parts of the town and in all aspects of town life. Chomper, the town mascot, was created to represent the spirit of the town at various events. However, the greatest show of town spirit has been doing the summer Klondyke Concerts. During these events there are always 600-800 volunteers to organize and make sure that there are no incidents of violence or vandalism. Since the total town population (including children and elderly citizens) is only about 5000, that number is very difficult to match by any community in Canada!
TOWN ACTIVITIES
Bay Roberts is a very active community. The Community Calendar for any week during the year usually lists a number of different activities for a wide variety of age groups. The town has 13 churches which have activities for their members, and a large number of clubs, lodges-such as the Masonic Lodge, service groups-such as the Lions Club, and other groups that meet on a regular basis. The 50+ Club has about 80 members, who regularly sponsor community breakfasts, card games and afternoon teas that are open to the whole community. The Bay Roberts Heritage Society, in addition to spearheading a number of the town's most interesting attractions, arranges for displays by well known artists at the Christopher Pratt Art Gallery and frequently hold an Open House at the museum. They also have catalogued and maintain the town archives. The Avalon North Wolverines Ground Search and Rescue are a volunteer organization based in Bay Roberts. The organization currently has fifty-five members from the Bay Roberts area, Placentia, New Harbour, and the North Shore of Conception Bay. They are the largest group out of twenty-seven search and rescue teams in Newfoundland and Labrador today. The Bay Roberts Volunteer Fire Department has been serving Bay Roberts for over sixty years and providing services for neighbouring towns such as Port de Grave and Barneed. It currently has over thirty members, two pumper trucks, two rescue trucks, and one fire van that continue to provide dedicated service.
In addition, a number of scheduled events occur each year for the enjoyment of citizens of the town. These events usually bring visitors from the catchment area and outside to local businesses.
Scheduled Yearly Activities
Festival of Lights - December - January
Each Christmas season the town organizes a Festival of Lights and participates in the national WinterLights Celebrations. In 2004-2005 the town was a national winner in the 5,001-10,000 Category. Bay Roberts was recognized for “The Illumination Parade”. The “Illumination Parade” drew 500 people out to “parade” to the opening ceremonies for the Festival of Lights (attendance- 2000). Glow sticks were provided for all who came.
At the presentation ceremony the Town of Bay Roberts and the Special Events Committee were congratulated for their energy and drive to promote the community to its own citizens and those of neighbouring towns. The judges who evaluated the Town of Bay Roberts were most impressed with the involvement at all levels in the community. They commented that the pride, sense of community and feeling of accomplishment was most pleasant to note. The whole community excelled in all criteria: Festive Celebrations, Winter Pleasures and Visual Presentation.
2005 Santa Claus Parade
Wesley Gosse Hockey Tournament - February
Wesley Gosse, retired Vice-Principal of Ascension Collegiate High School and hockey coach of the Ascension Astros Hockey Team, organized and provides the Shield for a Boys' Invitational Hockey Tournament for Senior High School Hockey Teams from various parts of the province. In 2006, Ascension Collegiate hosted the first ever
Astrofest Hockey Tournament combining a male and female division
of teams from around the province. In the male division, teams
competed for the 15th Annual Wesley Gosse Shield while the
females fought for the Walsh Shield. The Ascension girls
completed round-robin play undefeated and took gold in the
championship beating Holy Heart of St. John’s by a score of 4-2. The boys team also played well, but were eliminated in the crossovers.
Winter Carnival - February - March
The Winter Carnival consists of a number of events organized by the Special Events Committee of the Town Council. These events include the Snowflake Volleyball Tournament, an Ice Fishing Competition, Skating Parties for Children and Adults, a Family Snow Day, community breakfasts and afternoon teas, and special events at town bars and pubs.
Run for the Janeway - February or March - Until 2006
The Organizing Committee for the Run For The Janeway 2006 was hoping to break the Guinesses World Record for the most ATVs participating in an event. However, the weather did not cooperate. In spite of postponement, the 2006 event raised $97,300.00 for the Janeway, Newfoundland and Labrador's only children's hospital. The organizing committee which is headquartered in Shearstown was very happy to see another successful year. In 2007 the Run was discontinured due to new snowmobile regulations.
Run For the Janeway
Bay Wheels Classic Car Show - May
The Bay Wheels Classic Car Show is an example of an event organized by a neighboring community which takes place in Bay Roberts. The Bay Wheels Classic Car Show is organized by Roy and Ross Dawe of the Orange Lodge in Cupids (a community about 12 minutes west of Bay Roberts) and is held in the Bay Arena each year.
Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life
The Baccalieu Trail regional Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life is held at the Wilbur Sparkes Recreation Complex each year. The local organizing committee is headed by Bay Roberts Town Councillor Melvin Walsh.
Canada Day / Memorial Day - July 1
Like the rest of Newfoundland and Labrador, Bay Roberts honours two events on July 1 - Newfoundland's Memorial Day and Canada Day. Branch 32 of the Royal Canadian Legion always marks Memorial Day with a ceremony at the War Memorial, church services, and a parade back to the Legion Building. The town and the Royal Canadian Legion cooperate to hold Canada Day festivities, which always includes a family BBQ at the Community Gardens.
Klondyke Days - End of July to Beginning of August
Klondyke Days, organized by the Special Events Committee, are celebrated each summer with a variety of events. These events include special shows for children with performers such as Fred Penner and Judy & David,a Children's Beach Party, Kid's Carnival, Klondyke Idol Contest, Dances, Community Meals (Breakfasts, Dinners, and Suppers,) Dinner Theatres, Afternoon Teas, Las Vegas Night, Buying Days on the Klondyke, Concerts. The event culminates with a huge fireworks display over the harbour on Bay Roberts Day, the final day of the event.
50+Club - Community Breakfast
Klondyke Concert held until 2007
A huge Klondyke Concert has been held for the past six years. The concert, which is organized by the Bay Roberts Special Events Committee, has had from 600-800 volunteers each year and has featured well known performers from all over North America. It has an audience of as many as 20,000 persons.
Since 2007 the Klondyke Concert has been scaled back to a small, local concert. The town has focused on developing events which are based in outport coultural heritage.
A "Time" in Pigoen Inlet.
In 2008, the first "Time" was held and was completely sold out for 6 production nights. In 2009, it will be held for 10 Saturday nights, from the last Saturday in June to the last Saturday in August. For more information >>
Halloween Activities and Bonfire Night Activities (November 5) - Fall
The Bay Roberts Volunteer Fire Department sponsors activities during these fall celebrations to ensure that children are safe and that no accidental fires are started.
TOWN SPIRIT BUILDS ATTRACTIONS
With a population of about 5000, the citizens of Bay Roberts have worked to develop many outstanding facilities for the enjoyment of towns' people and visitors. People with a clear vision of what they wanted for the town worked to raise funds and / or lobbied businesses and provincial and federal government officials for funding and support.
Visitors' Pavilion on Veterans' Memorial Highway
The town's volunteer tourism committee, in particular, Committee Chair Judy Morrow, developed plans and an implementation strategy for the Bay Roberts Visitors' Pavilion, which officially opened on July 9, 2005. Funding for the new facility, which provides a panoramic view of the Bay Roberts area, was provided by the federal and provincial governments, as well as the municipality of Bay Roberts. The Pavilion is often described as a "Gateway to the Baccalieu Trail" since it provides information about the whole region, as well as being a tourist information centre for the rest of the province.
Recreation Facilities
The Bay Arena highlights Bay Roberts' community spirit. In the early 1980s a committee was established to build a regional arena serving the area from Tilton to Marysvale. The committee developed community support, held fundraising events, and prepared proposals for government agencies. As a result of their hard work, the Bay Arena was constructed in 1985.
Today, the arena is owned by the Town of Bay Roberts, and operated and managed by the Bay Arena Association. It is home to the Bay Arena Minor Hockey Association, the Conception Bay North Figure Skating Club, the Conception Bay North Junior Northstars, recreation and school hockey leagues, and skating clubs. In addition, it hosts numerous events including dancing school recitals, high school graduation proms, flea markets, craft shows, and the Bay Wheels Classic Car Show.
In July 2005, Jack Byrne, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, announced provincial support for a two-storey extension to the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts. The expansion of the Bay Arena has been cost-shared by the provincial government, ACOA and the Town of Bay Roberts. The total cost of the project is approximately $893,000. The expansion enables the Bay Arena to host more year round activities.
Non-Skating Events at the Bay Arena |
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 Catherine's School of Dance Recital |
 Ascension Graduation |
 Bay Wheels Classic Car Show |
Swimming Pool
The Bay Roberts Swimming Pool was built as a result of fund raising activities by the Bay Roberts Lions Club. Currently, it is operated by the town during summer seasons and has had up to 150 members, ages 5-18 from the communities of Marysvale through to Bryant's Cove.
The Sea Lions Swim Team have won eleven consecutive titles at the Provincial Short Course Summer Club Championships sponsored by Swim Newfoundland and Labrador. Support from the Town of Bay Roberts and the Bay Roberts Lions Club, other organizations, businesses and government representatives have ensured success.
Other recreation facilities, such as the Wilbur Sparkes Recreation Complex, the skate board park, the soccer pitch, the Community Gardens, and the town's playgrounds have been developed through a combination of vision and hard work.
Town Attractions
The Bay Roberts Heritage Society has been the moving force in developing a number of town attractions. The Heritage Society has been awarded the prestigious Manning Award of Excellence for 2002 by the Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Award was a recognition of the Heritage Society's efforts in developing the Shoreline Heritage Walk and the restoration of the Western Union Cable Building which houses the recently established Christopher Pratt Gallery and Road to Yesterday Museum.
In 2002 Mr. Eric Jerrett, who has been instrumental in the development of the Bay Roberts Heritage Society, received an Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Memorial University Alumni Association.
Betty Jerrett, Bay Roberts Heritage Society
Enjoys the Heritage Walking Trail
The Quay had its grand opening September 25, 1999. A percentage of the work on the $2.3 million dollar project was contributed. Eric Jerrett contributed the design work and deals were made with companies such as Newfoundland Power, NewTel Communications, Newfoundland Hydro, and Pennecon Ltd. to provide materials either free of charge or at bargain prices.
The Bay Roberts History Board, which is located near the marina, was contributed by the Johnson Family Foundation.
The Veterans' Quay Marina in Summer
The Shearstown Estuary
The Shearstown Estuary is currently under development by a Local Joint Management Committee which has been established between the towns of Spaniard's Bay and Bay Roberts. The Estuary is a shallow body of water where freshwater from the Shearstown River meets and mixes with saltwater from Spaniard's Bay. The Shearstown Estuary, although much smaller than many throughout the world, is still critical to many species of plants and animals living in the region or traveling through the region.
Everyone in the towns of Bay Roberts and Spaniard's Bay was very excited in the summer of 2006 when three fledgling bald eagles stopped traffic in all directions many times because people were gazing through their car windows to watch them learn to hunt in the Estuary.
Fledgling Bald Eagle