If you thought there seemed to be more Christmas lights in downtown 91原创 City over the holiday season, you were right.
A report to City Council shows money from this year鈥檚 cancelled Christmas parade will be brightening up streets for years to come, thanks to a decision to use funds budgeted for the parade to add lights to McBurney Plaza.
Tera Edell, City recreation supervisor, said after the provincial health officer and the minister of health directed that all public gatherings larger than 50 people must be cancelled or postponed to curb the spread of Covid-19, the parade was called off.
READ ALSO: Latest COVID restrictions cancels Aldergrove Christmas Light-Up parade
So the municipal Magic of Christmas parade committee made the decision to provide funding to the parks department, to purchase additional Christmas light display items to further enhance McBurney Plaza.
Committee chair Coun. Paul Albrecht praised City staff at the Monday, Jan. 11 meeting when the report was tabled, for their ability to 鈥減ivot and think outside the box.鈥�
Albrecht added some of the new lights would be left up 鈥渁 little longer than normal鈥� to hopefully raise spirits.
READ ALSO: City lights ignite that Christmas spirit
Edell also reported that when the City created a holiday lights walking tour map, based on the Downtown 91原创 Mural Walk, to highlight and promote the five main displays in 91原创 City, Fraser Health advised the City to not proceed due to COVID-19.
Instead, a virtual tour of the lights in 91原创 City was produced and posted online.
As well, there was a social media 鈥楥ountdown to Christmas鈥� using Elf on the Shelf.
Residents could follow Ally, Timmy and Doug, the 91原创 City elves, for their daily adventures as they counted down the days to Christmas. Each day their adventures were posted on the city and the 91原创 City , and accounts.
鈥淥ur event in 2020 did not go as usual due to the Covid-19 pandemic,鈥� the report noted.
鈥淚n spite of this, the committee was determined to provide some holiday cheer for the community.鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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