COVID-19 forces cancellation of Holiday Haven event
The Rotary Clubs of Oshawa and Oshawa-Parkwood will no longer be hosting their Tree Sale at the Oshawa Centre as the mall has cancelled its Holiday Haven event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Courtney Bachar/The Oshawa Express/LJI Reporter
The Rotary Clubs of Oshawa and Oshawa-Parkwood will have to find a new spot for their Christmas Tree Sale after the Oshawa Centre announced it cancelled its outdoor Holiday Haven event.
The mall announced Tuesday it had to cancel the event due to the “evolution of the situation” regarding COVID-19.
“The health and safety of our customers, tenants and employees continue to be our number one priority as we head into the holiday shopping season,” the OC states.
The outdoor haven was to be a new festive and safe outdoor experience for families, which included treats from food truck vendors, artisan vendors and local pop-ups. There would also have been a socially distanced photo with Santa, as well as having Christmas trees available from the Rotary clubs.
“We were very pleased that the Oshawa Centre were allowing us to partner with them. We can’t thank them enough,” says David Andrews, chair of Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood.
Proceeds from the Rotary Clubs’ Christmas Tree Sale would go to support the many community service projects of the Rotary Clubs which help those in need, “especially at this time of year and right in the midst of the pandemic”.
According to a statement released by the Oshawa Centre, guests who had made reservations will be receiving a cancellation email and a refund.
Andrews says the Rotary Clubs are now working to see what their options are moving forward for the tree sale.