The mayor of Antigonish says community and StFX representatives are trying to make improvements to homecoming weekend.
Laurie Boucher provided an update on the work of a committee made up of local stakeholders at September’s regular town council meeting Monday night.
She said problems and issues involving homecoming have been growing in recent years.
After the meeting, Boucher said things seemed to come to a head during the 2017 event.
“(2017) was the first year that StFX residents were not allowed to have guests from out of town stay in their residence- those were extra people pushed into town,” she said. “Of course, you want to party with your friends, you want to celebrate with your friends, so that moved the parties off-campus.”
The committee includes representatives from the Town of Antigonish, Antigonish Co., StFX, StFX student services, St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, and the local landlords association.
Boucher said university officials have decided to hold an event on-campus for students the Saturday of homecoming weekend, which takes place Sept. 27-30.
“It’s an action-packed weekend for alumni coming in, but there wasn’t a lot planned for the current students- to try to remedy that, this is what student services came up (with),” she said. “We’re very excited, we’re looking forward to it- we want to partner with StFX to see what we can do for the students and for our communities.”
Boucher said the goal is to keep students from flowing into the town.
Town councillors agreed to provide $4,000 for the event that’s expected to cost roughly $10,000.