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Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stanley park Christmas train cancelled after 26 years, burn fund faces $500K crisis
The BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund faces a significant challenge as the Stanley Park Christmas Train will remain out of service in 2025 due to costly repairs, impacting their annual Bright Nights fundraiser. This event, a crucial source of funding for burn survivor support, will be absent for the first time in 26 years. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads For the first time in 26 years, the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund will not be operating its annual fundraising event alongside the Bright Nights Christmas Train in Stanley Vancouver Park Board announced Tuesday(July 8) that the Stanley Park train will remain out of service for the rest of 2025 due to extensive and costly mechanical repairs. The decision leaves the Burn Fund, which has relied on the event for a significant portion of its annual fundraising, without one of its most visible and successful Bright Nights fundraiser has long supported burn survivors across British Columbia, helping fund medical equipment, housing, and children's burn camps.'This is the first year that it won't operate with the train in Stanley Park,' said Jeff Sauvé, Executive Director of the Burn Fund. 'But now it's about pivoting and finding a solution.'The holiday train ride , part of the Bright Nights in Stanley Park attraction, has traditionally featured festive lights, family-friendly displays, and thousands of volunteer hours from local firefighters. Each year, about 800 firefighters spend nearly a month setting up the lights and decorations around the miniature train its height, the fundraiser brought in close to $500,000, with the Burn Fund receiving both donations and a portion of the ticket sales. Last year, however, the event only generated around $200,000, after the train service was halted mid-season due to an engineer falling ill from exhaust confirmed the Burn Fund had concerns earlier this year that the train might not operate, but the official news came Tuesday along with the public announcement. 'At this point, there hasn't been any discussion of what the future of the train will look like,' he the Burn Fund says the loss of the train is a significant hit, Sauvé remains optimistic. 'We are sure one of our partners will step up,' he said. The organization is now exploring alternative fundraising options to support its work in the absence of the train.
Global News
6 days ago
- General
- Global News
For 1st time in 26 years, BC Fire Fighters Burn Fund will not operate with Stanley Park train
For the past 26 years, the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund has held a fundraiser in Stanley Park alongside the Bright Nights Christmas Train. 'This is the first year that it won't operate with the train in Stanley Park,' Jeff Sauvé, executive director of the Burn Fund, told Global News. On Tuesday, the Vancouver Park Board announced that the Stanley Park train will remain out of operation for the rest of 2025 due to extensive and costly repairs needed. Sauvé said that while they had an inkling that the train would be unlikely to run this year, they found out on Tuesday along with everybody else. He added that the annual fundraiser makes up a big part of their budget for the year. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'But now it's about pivoting and finding a solution,' Sauvé said. Story continues below advertisement At its peak, he said the Bright Nights at Stanley Park fundraiser, where thousands of lights are strung up around the mini train station and people riding the train make a donation to the park, raised up to half a million dollars. They also received a percentage from the train sales. About 800 firefighters spend about a month putting up all the lights and displays. 0:38 Future of Stanley Park Train remains unclear 'Last year it was about half of what our traditional fundraising would be,' Sauvé said, totalling about $200,000. The Stanley Park Christmas Train did run at the beginning of last season but it was halted on Dec. 13 after one of the train's engineers became sick due to exhaust fumes from one of the locomotives. Sauvé said they are sure one of their partners will step up and they will figure out another fundraising venture. Story continues below advertisement 'At this point, there hasn't been any discussion of what the future of the train will look like,' he added.
Global News
08-07-2025
- General
- Global News
Stanley Park Train to remain closed for the rest of 2025
The Stanley Park Train will remain off the rails for the rest of 2025. The train has not been operational since Dec. 13, when exhaust from one of its locomotives caused a driver to become ill and require medical attention. At a Park Board meeting on Monday night, staff said they will explore a range of potential new and creative operating and business models for the railway site. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It is a popular site for the annual Vancouver firefighters' Burn Fund charity, which has relied on the event in the past to raise money. At this time, it has not been disclosed if that fundraiser will remain at that location. As for the train, staff said that a preliminary analysis shows that 'full renewal of the train and the ancillary buildings and amenities could require substantial capital investment. Alternative operating models, including some form of partnership or third-party operation, could lead to a revitalized, reimagined attraction that would reduce the reliance on tax dollars to return the site to operation.' Story continues below advertisement There will be a formal call for requests for expressions of interest beginning later this year.
