Cape Breton event cancelled

From the Cape Breton TT Festival of Speed

SYDNEY, NS -- After 12 months of planning and organization, with the knowledge and tentative support of the provincial department of tourism as a signature event, the Cape Breton TT Festival of Speed has been cancelled with official news from the Provincial government that the government will not permit the event to happen on the 53km course.

According to the chair of the Cape Breton Festival of Speed Association Maureen Carroll, “The official word delivered by the province came as a devastating blow and without notice after almost a year of work and official filings for sanctioning and insurance were completed.

“The province has been well aware of the event and designated it as a Signature Event with no indication that they had fundamental issues beyond the understandable need to pass the public safety requirements which were being organized by a professional technical team and race director. It appears that the process of proper and formal evaluation and communications were flawed within the departments.”

Carroll continued, "The cancellation news is regrettable and disappointing for all of the volunteer members of the community who have acted in good faith and invested in the development of an event which promised to deliver significant economic return for the region.”

The Cape Breton Festival of Speed was initiated by the Membertou Development Corporation. Under the leadership of Bernd Christmas, Membertou brought forward the opportunity for an international event which offered benefits for the entire Island and province. The Cape Breton Festival of Speed Association was created to operate and manage what had the potential to be a major annual event.

To date there have been 5,000 room-nights booked six months ahead of the event just on the prospect and rumor it would occur. These advance bookings alone represent a welcome addition to many tourism operators across the Island during what is a slower period in the early fall. The economic impact has been forecast to reach $15 million. The event had the support of the municipality and federal government and the economic development agencies on Cape Breton Island along with enthusiastic participation of community groups and organizations that are essential for the staging of an international event.

Carroll said, “As a community based volunteer organization, we are very disappointed to have to cancel the event. The abrupt decision is being forced by the Provincial government in what can only be described as a very heavy-handed manner. The province allowed the time, effort, expectations and investment of the community to continue to build for the best part of an entire year without a formal response from all departments until now.”

Community meetings planned for May 6 and 7 along the race course have been cancelled.