Sarnia's mayor put the COVID-19 pandemic in historical perspective on the city's 106th birthday Thursday.
Mike Bradley noted that on May 7, 1914 Sarnia became a city with a population of 10,000.
He told Sue Storr on CHOK (103.9 FM, 1070 AM) that the city has overcome daunting challenges over more than a century, and the pandemic will be no different.
"You think of all the things we've been through in 106 years," said Bradley. "Two world wars, the expansion of the [Chemical] Valley located here, we've gone through tornadoes, we've gone through other natural disasters and yet we survived, that's the key message. This has been very difficult but again we survive and we will emerge out of this I think a much better community and a much stronger community."
Wilma McNeill is presented with the Lieutenant Governor's Community Volunteer Pin at Sarnia’s 100th Birthday Celebration May 7, 2014 BlackburnNews.com (Photo by Melanie Irwin)
The mayor noted the 100th birthday party held in Sarnia's downtown in 2014 attracted 10,000 people, something that certainly would not be occurring today given the pandemic physical distancing and limited gathering orders.
Then Ontario Lieutenant Governor David Onley presided over the formal 100th birthday celebration at city hall.
-With files from Sue Storr
