Annual spring event underway

Doug Gent, who is serving as the chair of the show explained vendors at this year’s event have come from the surrounding area and beyond.

“We’ve got a few from Regina, from Saskatoon, a lot in this area, LIoydminster, North Battleford and some of these people have businesses in these other communities plus our community,” he said.

Gent added the show gets a lot of support from the business community as they appreciate the opportunity to showcase in the Gateway to the North.

“They know the value of Prince Albert as a consumer centre,” he said.

At this year’s show a new business, offering equipment to people who have mobility issues, was also featured.

“We haven’t had anybody like that for a couple years and it’s nice to see,” he said.

The Prince Albert Cosmopolitan Club has been operating in the city for 80 years and according to Gent the show has been going on for up to 40 of those. In this time the show has been at the Art Hauser Centre, the Prince Albert Armouries and the Exhibition Centre.

The event has been in the current location for a number years now, and Gent said his organization appreciates the work the curling club did to remove the ice to make way for the show, as the season ended only a short time ago.

“The management here has always been very helpful for us,” he said.

Putting on the annual show requires quite a bit of work from members of the cosmopolitan club, who do everything from reaching out to vendors to helping set up.

“When I count the numbers we’ve probably got all 26 members out in some capacity,” Gent said.

(Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

Besides those offering spring-related products and services, the event also provided a chance for some community groups to reach out.

One of the organizations on hand was the Prince Albert Titans of the Prairie Junior Hockey League (PJHL).

The team had a booth set up where they were selling raffle tickets with prizes being a four wheeler, a boat or a sled, with all of the funds raised going to support the team.

Titans president and general manager Wayne Mesenchuk explained the home show provides the team the chance to connect with the public.

“We like to get out into the community and a little more exposure so we get fans to our games, we have a lot of players that are from the city and around,” he said.

Mesenchuk said the lottery fundraiser is an important one for the team, as there are lots of costs associated with operating it.

“Our business community is huge, they really support us, we’ve got a good fan base, but we have to go beyond that,” he said.

This is the second year the Titans have been involved with the home show and Mesenchuk said they have received good support, with lots of people stopping by their booth to talk hockey.

“It’s a great event for us to be part of,” he said.

Titans president and general manager Wayne Mesenchuk, right, working the team’s booth at the home show (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

The event wraps up Sunday.

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn

by Michael Joel-Hansen

Annual spring event underway

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