It wasn’t a smooth return for the Annual Seniors’ Christmas Lights Tour in Kamloops last night.

A number of seniors, including Marion Walker, were left waiting for a bus to come pick them up and take them to see some of the best light displays in the Tournament Capital, with the event set for run between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. last night.

“I was going with a neighbour and there was 16 or 18 others that were also waiting at the Westsyde Pool,” she said.

“We waited until probably 7:20 and our bus never showed up, and our tour guide that was there with us couldn’t get a hold of anybody to find out why the bus wasn’t picking us up, and most of us just said, oh well, looks like we’ve been missed’ so we got in our vehicles and went home.

Walker tells NL Newsday she and neighbour then drove themselves around Westsyde to look at some of the lights before calling it a night.

“We were really looking forward to getting into the Christmas spirit and being able to share with others in the singing and listening to the Rube Band and being entertained and getting a chance to see lights in places that we wouldn’t normally drive to,” Walker added.

The Annual Seniors’ Christmas Lights Tour in Kamloops was making its return after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19. The buses were meant to pick up Kamloopsians over the age of 55 from around the City to look at lights, before a tea service and sing-a-long at the Sandman Centre.

“It is just unfortunate. I realize things happen but surely something that has gone on for as many years as what this has gone on for as many years as what this has done, should be able to be handled,” she said.

“I mean, Kamloops hosts a lot of different events that run smoothly and are handled well. I think somebody dropped the ball, and maybe there wasn’t good communication, I don’t know.”

In a statement, the City admitted there were some issues, and offered their “sincerest apologies” to the people who missed out, an apology that Walker acknowledged as well.

“We acknowledge that there were some issues that resulted in registered participants not being picked up or were left waiting on the route,” the City statement said. “We offer our sincerest apologies to anyone left out.”

“We have a long standing and excellent relationship with First Canada and BC Transit and would not be able to do this event without their generous support of drivers and buses. We are investigating with our key partners to identify what happened so that no one experiences the same disappointment at the 2023 event.”

In a statement to NL News, BC Transit also apologized for any inconvenience caused to seniors who missed out due to what it called a miscommunication.

“The City of Kamloops coordinated with the local BC Transit operating company to facilitate pickups for seniors to attend a light tour and shared the proposed pickup locations for seniors,” the statement said. “Upon reviewing some pickup locations, the operating company determined that there was not adequate space to turn the buses around, so on-street pickups for seniors were requested.”

BC Transit also says due to a miscommunication, some seniors remained in the proposed pickup locations while drivers waited at on-street locations.

“In some locations, more seniors turned out than had registered for the light tour, so buses filled up quickly and additional buses were dispatched,” the statement added.

“As the evening progressed, the operating company dispatched buses to make their best effort to pick up as many seniors as possible, however, not all seniors were able to be accommodated, and some joined the light tour after it had begun.”

– With files from Brett Mineer