It looks like there will be a Christmas in Williams Park this year, after all.
In the wake of an announcement by organizers that the Township had informed them that it would be withdrawing its support for the annual public display of lights and Christmas decorations, it seems those higher up the food chain are reconsidering.
The news broke Monday, and by the end of the day Township Mayor Eric Woodward was promising to raise the issue at council and find a solution.
That鈥檚 for the best. Otherwise, the Township would have opened itself to accusations of financial hypocrisy.
The Township鈥檚 contribution to the annual event isn鈥檛 financial. Instead, municipal staff have, for the past several years, put up and took down the extensive light displays.
The Township estimated this at a cost of about $55,000.
First of all, that鈥檚 not a bad return on investment for a local, volunteer-run event.
Organizers estimate that 25,000 people visit Christmas in Williams Park annually 鈥� a huge number. How many other events get that kind of a return on investment?
Secondly, this Township has been spending a whole lot of money recently, including a $149 million funding envelope for a new ice/dry floor arena complex, $33.2 million for widening 208th Street, and up to $25 million for a new Brookswood firehall, among other projects.
Those aren鈥檛 bad projects. 91原创 needs more rec facilities, expanded firehalls, and who can argue with fixing the gridlocked 208th Street?
But set against those expenditures, in a Township that is growing by leaps and bounds, did someone really think that cutting $55,000 in labour costs from a free Christmas show was the way to go?
There鈥檚 no need to be a Grinch.
鈥� M.C.
