by Garrett Fodor
After months of waiting, polishing and maintaining their classic and unique vehicles, enthusiasts proudly displayed their cars at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village (CTMHV) during the 45th annual Fun on Wheels event.
On Sunday, the CTMHV grounds were opened up to host the first car show and vendor meet since late 2019. For the 45th annual Fun on Wheels show, cars from all over southwestern Ontario lined the grounds for spectators to view and appreciate. From Corvettes and GTOs to Model Ts and Pacers, there was something for everyone on display, with no shortage of glistening chrome.
“The turnout we had has been fantastic, it is honestly our most successful show since 2008, with more than 400 cars on display,” Marivin Baumgartner said, who is the Vice Chairperson for the CTMHV. “This is the first event we have had in 16 or 18 months. People have been praying for a weekend like this and the community needed it, just to get outside a bit.”
Baumgartner noted this year’s edition of the Fun on Wheels event was quite different from years past. Spectators were encouraged to socially distance, masks were worn, hand sanitizer was offered throughout the grounds, among other actions to keep everyone safe amidst the pandemic. This year’s event also offered food trucks and vendors.
“I’m hoping that it is going to be very helpful for us with our fundraising because we’ve been generating no money for the last 16 months,” Baumgartner noted. “It’s been very difficult. We haven’t been able to do any fundraising whatsoever, because of the pandemic. So, this is really our first main kickoff, and we’re hoping that this pandemic gets to a point where we can start moving into some kind of normalcy as well.”
The annual event serves as a fundraiser for CTMHV, which helps them to maintain and grow their building and educational materials. CTMHV hosts over 10,000 students annually for part of their education program, while also employing an educator. When visiting the grounds, attendees are able to travel back in time from the 21st century all the way back to the 19th century.
In addition to enjoying the car show, visitors to the site were also able to look at some of the buildings on the grounds and Baumgartner said that was by design. While offering them an up-close look at the past, he hopes to remind residents about the history that is on display and get them re-interested in the grounds and the artifacts that they have.
Baumgartner said that he would like to thank the community for their continued support. He would also like to praise the work of the volunteers who helped to put on the event, noting usually the lead up and prep-work takes four to five months and the team puts the event together in just four weeks.
He added that anyone interested in volunteering at CTMHV or anyone interested in becoming a member is invited to sign up, with details posted on their website ctmhv.com or in person on the grounds.
Comments