Even a car show can’t look normal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Sunday, couples and families out for a drive packed into hundreds of vehicles — classic, custom and ordinary — for what could be their only chance to drive on top of the 224-foot-tall Canyon Lake Dam. And they did so for a charitable cause.
For the past two years, the Dam Community Alliance has put on car shows on top of the dam — overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — to raise funds for projects and improvements to the dam, lake and surrounding parks.
But COVID-19, as it has done with everything in American society, up-ended the alliance’s plans for a third show this year. Letting gearheads and admirers of souped-up cars gather at the dam, even though it’s outdoors, seemed unwise to alliance leaders.
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Then, a solution came.
“We were all sitting in a group and someone said, ‘I wonder if they would let us drive across,’” board member Jenny Rendon said. “And that's kind of where the brainchild came from.”
The idea seemed to resonate. Before 10 a.m., North Park Road near the dam was jammed with dozens of cars, trucks and SUVS — accompanied by the loud hum of engines and smell of exhaust — as drivers lined up for what looked like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to drive across the 1.3-mile structure, usually only open to pedestrians.
“You can't even ride a bike on the dam,” said Cesar Cueva, whose young son sat in a car seat in his black 1983 El Camino.
For $10 a car, drivers and ride-alongs got scenic views — to their right, the shimmering blue waters of Canyon Lake more than 200 feet below, dotted with boats and the occasional swimmer; to their left, the rolling greens of the Texas Hill Country.
One after another came a parade of muscle cars and shiny post-war vehicles that looked like they had been plucked from a scene in the 1973 film “American Graffiti.” But drivers didn’t have to have a cool vintage car to get across. There was plenty of room for pickups and SUVs flying American flags as well as motorcycle groups.
“That was like a plus, a silver lining, if you will, for the pandemic,” said Ken Reed, who drove with his wife, Mary Reed, in their red 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396.
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The event isn’t expected to raise as much as in the past two years, Rendon said. The organization received about $15,000 during each of the two previous events. More than 200 cars registered ahead of time for the Dam Fine Sunday Drive, translating to at least $2,000 raised before the event even started.
But to alliance leaders, the drive was about more than just raising money. The virus led to the cancellation of cherished local gatherings like the Comal County Fair and Rodeo and New Braunfels’ Fourth of July parade. They didn’t want another event to fall prey to the pandemic.
“We really made our decision based on wanting to do something for the community,” Rendon said.
Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports
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October 19, 2020 at 06:00AM
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Amid coronavirus, Canyon Lake car show morphs into a Sunday drive on the dam - San Antonio Express-News
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