Two weeks ago, people in a Langley neighbourhood were calling a person who stole $10,000 of Christmas decorations “the Grinch who stole Christmas.”
But like the citizens of Whoville, residents of Williams Park are making sure Christmas still comes. The annual tradition of lighting up the park during the holiday season will go on, after thousands of dollars were raised to replace the decorations.
“I just like coming here to see all the lights,” said nine-year-old Sara Walmsley, one of dozens of people who were out on Sunday helping to get decorations ready.
“I wanted to do something right away to help save the display.”
Walmsley organized a campaign at her school to donate LED lights, one of many examples of people in Township of Langley rallying to save the event. For 24 years Williams Park has been decked out with thousands of Christmas lights and other decorations. The event also includes two nights of entertainment, horse and carriage rides, food and a visit from Santa.
The decorations were taken from a storage container, and it’s believed people stole the lights to strip them for copper. It’s the second straight year the decorations had been stolen.
READ MORE: Two weeks ago organizers were saying the event would have to be cancelled
“It’s a free event that’s funded totally by donations and the Township of Langley,” said Barbara Sharp, president of the Williams Park Society for Langley.
“It’s very special because the community owns it.”
Donations also came from the Township of Langley, local companies, and an online fundraiser.
People will spend another two days dressing the trees and putting up decorations, in time for the mayor to turn the lights on during an event on December 11.
“It’s just an amazing thing that it’s happened the way that it has,” says Sharp.
“It’s a community that really comes together. No matter how much people think that people think of themselves…this is a really positive community.”
Comments