Avery Donahue, front left, and her grandfather Tim Pruden, front right, addressing council Tuesday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Lighting up Christmas

Town approves Christmas tree-lighting project

Sep 4, 2019 | 11:45 AM

The Town of Battleford will be a little bit brighter this Christmas now that council has approved a project to install lights on the trees at the downtown park near the gazebo.

The idea for the Lights of Joy – Christmas Party project was proposed by youth Avery Donahue who appeared with her father and grandfather as a delegation before council.

Mayor Ames Leslie said he was delighted to see the youth take the initiative.

“It was a great concept, a great idea,” he said. “I think it is going to add a lot of beauty and attraction to our downtown. Anytime youth want to get involved in making our community better, it means the town is in good hands for the future. I definitely look forward to see what she can do.”

As part of the fundraiser project, lights will be installed on the existing 16 trees in the park. Each tree will have a strand of 150 light bulbs on it.

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The Battleford Community Spirit group will also assist with the project.

Donahue plans to sell the light bulbs at $2 each and kick off the event at the Battleford Community Spirit’s Fall Festival and Street Fair in the town on Sept. 21. Proceeds from light sales will benefit the Battleford Community Spirit non-profit group to hold future community events.

Council voted in favour of the three-part request: to provide power for the lights, to sponsor the cost of lighting one tree at $300, and to help install the lights in time for the launch. Coun. Judy Pruden left council chambers during the vote due to a conflict of interest.

The project organizers also plan to open the sponsorship offer to businesses in the community in case any are interested in supporting the effort.

“They will probably try to look at some fun things to get the community involved to raise this money,” the mayor said.

Coun. Doug Laing was impressed with the proposal, saying it was “a good idea.”

Donahue’s grandfather Tim Pruden noted plans are to kick off the light display with a special launch on Nov. 23. The tree-lighting opening could also include hot chocolate and wagon rides. Rather than having the lights taken down after Christmas, Pruden proposed the town could leave them up all year so the trees could be lit for special occasions to bring the community together.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow