Royal plans and events unveiled for Calgary
Posted Jun 21, 2011 9:09 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Plans have been unveiled for Will and Kate’s trip to Calgary next month.
The new royal couple’s first official trip will bring them to Calgary July 7th and 8th.
They arrive at Calgary International Airport at 4:30 p.m., July 7th, where they will be white-hatted — a long-standing tradition in Calgary and a symbol of Western hospitality.
Their first stop is the Ward of the 21st Century Research and Innovation Centre at the University of Calgary.
Co-director of the centre Dr. Barry Baylis tells 660News, he was surprised when he heard of their plans to visit his live laboratory for health research and technology.
Dr. Baylis says Will and Kate will be the first people to get an interactive demonstration of some of the centre’s innovations, so he won’t give away the details of what they’ll be testing.
University of Calgary President Dr. Elizabeth Cannon and Premier Ed Stelmach will join the newlyweds on their university tour.
There are also details about how the royals will take in the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
President of the Calgary Stampede, Mike Casey says they’ll take part in the opening of the parade with Prime Minister Harper and parade marshal, Rick Hansen.
Then, the royals will hop into a motorcade and ride the route in the reverse direction of the parade flow.
Will and Kate will also get an introduction to the rodeo events with a live demo of the chuckwagon racing and bull riding events.
In terms of safety, from the moment the royals land in Calgary to the second they leave, CPS will be working closely with the RCMP to ensure everyone’s safety.
RCMP Sergeant Patrick Webb tells 660News, both sides know what their role is during the royal visit.
A spokesperson for the CPS says there will be road closures in place, but just where and when, won’t be revealed in advance for security reasons.
Heritage Minister James Moore says if media interest is any indication as to just how big the royal visit will be, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will draw much larger crowds than Queen Elizabeth II’s visit last year.
He adds 241 accredited journalists from outside of Canada will be making their way to our great country, compared to just 20 that flocked here for the Queen’s visit last year.
To view the official Royal itinerary click here.
