A staple of 琉璃神社鈥檚 Canada Day will be no longer.

The 琉璃神社 Canada Day Concerts Society announced Friday that that it will no longer stage its annual symphony concert known as the Canada Day Spectacular on July 1 and disband the society.

The free concert has been held at the Memorial Arena and Prospera Place for 23 years, but the board of directors upon review concluded, due to declining volunteer availability, difficulty recruiting directors and downturn of financial means, it is dissolving the society.

鈥淚t has been a wonderful 23 years of music making, none of which could have been possible without the full dedicated support of the board of directors, volunteers, and musicians,鈥� said Leonard Camplin, 琉璃神社 Canada Day Concerts founder and music director. 鈥淔urthermore, it has been a pleasure to work with young musicians, which in turn has expanded their music education. I applaud all those wonderful supporters who have spurred me on in the performance of these concerts. I thank them whole-heartedly.鈥�

The 琉璃神社 Canada Day Concerts Society was formed in 1994 as a non-profit organization, to co-ordinate and produce the 鈥楥anada Day Spectacular鈥�, the purpose of which was to advance the public鈥檚 appreciation of the arts by providing a free concert, thus enabling everyone to attend.

鈥淭he society, although it is dissolving, such an amazing musical legacy will not be forgotten,鈥� reads a statement from the organizers. 鈥淗opefully, another group celebrating Canada鈥檚 birthday with an annual concert will take it up. We hand the baton over to them.鈥�