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Touch-A-Truck returns for second year

Crime Prevention Month event
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Touch-A-Truck is back for children and all those who are young at heart.

The second annual event, organized by Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre, will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at CrossRoads Church parking lot, located the southwest corner of 32nd Street and QEII.

Jessica Bernard, program development co-ordinator with the centre, said last year was a huge success with 2,100 visitors. Organizers are hoping for 3,000 this year.

She said the family-friendly event allows kids of all ages to get up close to their favourite trucks and tractors.

“They let kids climb in the driver’s seat and honk the horn and pretend to play with the gears and things like that. The kids love it,” Bernard said.

She said people will be able to climb aboard 99 per cent of the vehicles at Touch-A-Truck.

“Red Deer County Protective Services last year brought a patrol car with bars on the windows. Parents kept taking their kids and putting them in the back. They were gripping the bars. It was so funny.”

In 2016 there were 45 emergency, commercial and municipal vehicles, trucks and machines on site for people to investigate and this weekend over 60 pieces of equipment will be set up including a fire truck, crane, snowplow, bobcat, backhoe, tractor trailer, street sweeper, oil well servicing unit, waste disposal truck, and much more.

She said in addition to letting families explore vehicles and have some fun, it’s a community building event by helping them meet and get to know others in the area.

“A lot of people don’t make the connection between crime prevention and community development. We do.”

May is Crime Prevention Month and Touch-A-Truck is also another opportunity to provide crime prevention information at a booth on site, Bernard said.

Admission is $5 per carload and close to 800 free tickets were given out to schools and around the community. Parking is available.

szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com