By rdnewsNOW staff

Bigger And Better

Ponoka to unveil new Christmas Light Tour and expanded light display at Centennial Park

Nov 24, 2020 | 12:47 PM

Residents of Ponoka will soon be able to enjoy a newly expanded Christmas light display at Lion’s Centennial Park.

The new display will be available for viewing on Dec. 4 when Town officials flip the switch at the park.

Residents taking great pride in their home Christmas light display this year are also invited to enter their home in a self-guided Christmas Light Tour being organized by the Town.

“We know there are many citizens in Ponoka who put a lot of effort into their Christmas lights each year. We thought organizing a self-guided tour would be a great, COVID-friendly activity that many people would enjoy,” said Andrew Jones, Recreation Coordinator for the Town of Ponoka.

Residents are encouraged to contact the Town by Dec. 2 if they would like to enter their home in the Christmas Light Tour. Their location will then be added to a Christmas Light Tour map that will be posted on the Town website at www.ponoka.ca and on the Town’s social media by Dec. 4.

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To enter your home in the Christmas Light Tour, phone 403-783-0131 or email recreation@ponoka.ca to provide your address and confirm your interest in entering your home in the tour.

Officials say the Town’s annual Christmas light display at Lions Centennial Park is expected to be bigger and brighter than ever this year. The Town is working with a Christmas lighting specialist to design, install and maintain an expanded light display in the park this year, as well as the lights on the Town Christmas tree beside the old library, and on the large evergreen tree on the south side of the Ponoka Civic Centre.

The Centennial Park display will include a combination of new lights and existing lights that have been donated over the past few years.

“With COVID-19 limiting the number of holiday activities for people to enjoy, our hope is that the expanded Christmas light display at Centennial Park will delight and entertain families as they drive by,” added Jones.

Town officials say the decision to work with a lighting specialist was made in consultation and with the full support of the Town’s Recreation, Parks and Culture Committee. Community volunteers on that committee initiated the Town’s Christmas Light Program in 2017, and have been organizing and putting up the lights in the park every year since then.

“It’s been a lot of work and added responsibility for them. This new change to the Town’s Christmas Light Program will free up our volunteers to support other Town initiatives,” said Jones. He added, “The Town would like to extend a huge thank you to our Recreation, Parks and Culture Committee volunteers for their hard work and commitment over the last few years. We would also like to thank the Ponoka Lions Club for their large donation of Christmas lights earlier this year, and express thanks to all others who have supported our Christmas Light Program over the years.”

The Town expects to announce plans later this week on when it will reschedule its annual Santa Claus Parade and Tree Lighting ceremony that were postponed earlier this month due to COVID-19.