It’s just over one month before tens of thousands of visitors flock to West Nipissing to attend the 2019 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo.
IPM Chair of Ceremonies and Parade Barry Bertrand says work is underway in Verner to have the grounds in top-notch shape. The event will be held from September 17th to the 21st and site preparations began earlier this summer as hydro is required and this all takes about a month and a half. Sewer and water installations are continuing and all should be completed within the next few weeks in time for day one of the IPM on September 17th.
After years of planning, and in anticipation of the tens of thousands of expected visitors to West Nipissing, this undertaking requires several committees, chairs, and volunteers. Bertrand’s committee has five members but will grow to 15 during the IPM. He says one of the biggest challenges has been coordination for such a large event.
He says with about 40 different committees, chairs plus members working within multiple committees, it can be tricky to manage and coordinate the shared resources. Despite the occasional organizational challenge, he adds a great deal of work has gone into ensuring communication is open and so far everything’s falling into place.