Editor’s note: this year’s Nelson Road Kings and Queen City Cruise run Sept. 8 to 9.
The Road Kings classic car show is not just about cars — it’s about people and how we relate to cars. We all connect with cars on some level. It may be the memory of a horrible and wonderful road trip from Calgary to Kenora in a gigantic Plymouth Fury or the joy of cruising from one end of town to the other over and over again on Saturday night.
Thousands of people pour through downtown every year to take in Nelson’s largest one-day event. They exchange stories and relive memories and pieces of our past. People are intrigued with the style, fashion and design of the day. They can’t help but admire the extraordinary work each owner has put into restoring their car in the detailing, styling and exquisite lines. Most owners regard their car as a work of art, and we really don’t want to be censoring art. The classic car show, simply put, is a living motoring museum.
And yes, cars are one of many contributors to our pollution problem. At the turn of the century, it was the car that rescued us from the threatening horse manure crisis in our major cities. The electric car may help us in the same way by reducing our CO2 emissions today.
The Road Kings car show is a volunteer effort and they do an amazing job for such a major event. If someone was enthused enough to approach them about a presentation on the electric car they may be interested. An EV presentation would give us a view into the future of the car.
Peter Galonski
Nelson