Outhouse Races cancelled

Here's hoping for 2022.

Cochranites were gearing up to enjoy the Outhouse Races this weekend but COVID has packed another punch and the event has been cancelled.

The race was set to go in Historic Downtown this Sunday, Sept. 19. 

With rising COVID-19 numbers and hospitalization rates the province announced a long list of new health restrictions to stop the spread. 

One of the lead organizers of the event, Dan Kroffat says it wasn't an easy decision to make. 

"It was a very tough decision. Obviously I know the public at large is looking forward to any event that lifts the spirits and defocuses us from the virus but I think it was poor optics for us to go ahead with the Outhouse Races."

The race typically draws hundreds of people to watch teams of four runners plus one person in the outhouse, run against each other in heats of two up and down the street. 

"The last time we did this we had over 800 people on the street. And the one thing that I was very cognizant of is the importance of social distancing. Well if you had 400-500 people on the street trying to be three feet apart, that would be about two to three blocks long, which would be much longer than the normal Outhouse Races. So I think we need to caution on the side of safety."

The races likely won't be held in 2021 but Kroffat is hopeful for next year.

"it's very hard to predict an available date based on the virus. But we're getting late in the season and my experience in the eight years that I've been a part of this is usually, this is about it. So I would suggest we're going to postpone it obviously. Let's deal with the virus first. Let's get past this."