Christmas Park gets a boost from town

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Each year the hardworking organizers and volunteers of the Celebration of Lights Christmas Park put in hundreds of hours preparing the light displays, hosting events, and then taking everything back down again in January.
On Jan. 21 Rose Hamrlik and Dennis McNeill made a presentation to Strathmore town council, outlining what they do each year and requesting funding for the 2015-16 season.
“Our park basically works on donations and whatever we can raise through our fundraising efforts throughout the year,” said Hamrlik.
Approximately 35,000 people enjoyed the park in 2014 and early 2015, coming from across the province and around the world.
“We work under the umbrella of the Agricultural Society, we use the baseball facility out at the grounds. Over the last seven years we are coming to an age where the last of our incandescent rope lights and a lot of our incandescent lights that were first put up have now failed, and are failing quite regularly,” said McNeill.
Over the past year or so, work has begun to rebuild a lot of the displays, and the next project to tackle is the candy cane alley.
The Strathmore Lions, the naming sponsor, have been fantastic in helping raise funds, but with the lights getting older McNeill said they are looking at some expensive replacements.
“We have purchased whatever we can for product from Boxing Day sales and wherever we can to keep our costs down. All of our expenses are basically for product and our services,” said McNeill.
“I’m just amazed at the job you do,” said Councillor Bob Sobol.
“I visited a couple times and I was just so impressed with the quality and the attitude of your volunteers, what they are doing for our town. You can’t even count what they are doing for the town, it just puts us in such a great light. People enjoy that area so much.”
“What Rose and Dennis started in conjunction with the Ag Society some seven years ago has now turned into a major attraction to Strathmore at Christmas time, drawing numbers close to Heritage Days,” said Councillor Rocky Blokland.
“Thank you is not enough, you are what makes Strathmore a great community, your volunteers are what makes Strathmore such a great community and all I can say is thank you to each and every one of you,” said Mayor Michael Ell.
The original request was for $5,000. Councillor Brad Walls moved for an increase in support to the tune of $7,500.
“We were blown away by this donation as well as the kind words expressed by all the council members and Mayor Ell. It was greatly appreciated by all of us,” said Hamrlik after the meeting.
“We will now be able to repair our candy cane alley which is a cost of approximately $2,300 for the 40 candy canes, as well as have more for the kids during the annual New Year’s event in 2015/2016.”