Strong winds and frigid temperatures swept through the Greater Toronto Area on Dec. 12, with gusts reaching up to 65 km/h. But at Musket Transport’s container terminal in Mississauga, Ont., the cold was trumped by the warmth of camaraderie and celebration as the company hosted its first-ever winter festival.

More than 100 company drivers, employees, and partners for the fleet and its Commercial Heavy Equipment Training (CHET) center came to the event between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Drivers began arriving earlier in the day, enjoying a hot comfort meal before heading out on their dispatches, said Sophia Sniegowski Begidzhanov, corporate communications officer at Musket.

The winter festival was Musket’s first, but she says it will not be the last. Planned and executed in just four weeks, the event was inspired by the company’s desire to create a celebratory experience for its drivers during the winter season. Despite the weather, which felt like -20C, everyone stayed for more than an hour with hot beverages in hand to keep warm.

“We thought, what a fun way to bring that environment to our container terminal, and we did that for our drivers to come in and have this kind of celebratory moment of the winter time, and then open it up to our vendors and our external partners,” Sniegowski Begidzhanov said.

Creative team collaboration

Musket transformed its container terminal into a cozy and artistic space, with a perimeter built from containers painted by a gate staff member. A mural depicts a green forest, an homage to the wetlands surrounding the industrial zone.

“He did such a great job because this was only his second time doing the murals. He pulled three containers off in four weeks. His talent is so amazing because he only buys the primary paint colors [and] he mixes everything himself,” Sniegowski Begidzhanov said.

She added the centerpiece was a custom-built container café, designed by a crane operator who repurposed unused materials and containers from the site, “a big part of our efforts at our container terminal is that there are no pieces that should go to waste.”

Attendees enjoyed a menu catered to diverse tastes, including sausages, halal chicken, and falafel for vegetarians, alongside holiday treats such as sugar cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee.

The team also created spaces shielded from the gale, including a custom fire pit and containers fitted with side doors and propane heaters. Despite the efforts, the wind froze some of the heaters, Sniegowski Begidzhanov said, but added that the sense of community and camaraderie was stronger than the biting wind. “It was still a very cozy and very Canadian experience,” she said.

Charity partnerships, plans for future events

The winter festival had a charitable focus, too. Musket said that any funds exceeding the event’s costs would be donated to its charitable partners such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill Amity, and United Way Halton & Hamilton. Vendor sponsorships covered the event’s expenses.

The event also served as a pilot for future festivals, with Musket taking notes on how to improve. Next time, the company may hold the event earlier, closer to Dec. 1, to avoid the risk of extreme winter weather like the strong winds experienced this year.

Organizers are also considering extending the event into the evening hours to include a dinner-time experience and showcase the holiday lights.

Musket plans to improve accessibility for employees from other locations by hosting the event on alternative days and providing shuttle services. Strengthening connections between internal employees and external partners will also remain a priority as the company explores ways to increase community involvement.

“At the heart of it, we can’t do anything without our people. It comes down to our drivers. It comes down to our support staff, crane operators, and the students at the school. There’s just no end to the importance of the people in our organization,” said Sniegowski Begidzhanov, adding the event was also a great team-building experience. “It’s amazing that we have all this hidden talent in our employees. It feels good that we can come together and work on something that ignites a passion in all of us.”

One of the attending drivers said they could not thank the Musket team enough for all they did to make this event a success: “I can hand on my heart say that being with you has been a thoroughly enjoyable day.”