PNE neighbours prepare for slow summer, as fair cancelled again

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) — Shops and restaurants near the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) are bracing for another slow summer after the much-loved annual fair was cancelled for a second year in a row.

“It is important to our BIA that the PNE survive this,” Patricia Barnes from the Hastings North Business Improvement Association said.

Calling on the provincial and federal governments to support the organization, Barnes knows the PNE is working hard to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the PNE fair was cancelled last year, Barnes said businesses in the area were more prepared for Wednesday’s news.

“We will hopefully get through another year and are looking forward to 2022, when we have the PNE again,” she said.

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Announced by the organization on Wednesday, management said the PNE would not be financially viable under anticipated public health orders, saying even a modified, lower capacity in-person PNE would not be possible.

Spokesperson Laura Ballance said, “It’s not something we’ve chosen lightly.”

As the largest employer of youth in the province, Ballance told NEWS1130 the organization knows what implications cancelling the summertime event will have on staff, exhibitor and concessionaire partners, as well as the community.

Holding events like drive-thrus during 2020, the PNE will continue to look for a number of ways to engage with guests and fans, Ballance said, however, noting these events did not make money for the corporation.

“We did is as a way of trying to support our extended staff team family,” Ballance said.

– With files from Paul James and Hana Mae Nassar