Christmas in Williams Park could be sparkling bright for the holidays after all.
Christmas in Williams Park Society president Barb Sharp said after the outpouring of support and donations from the community to save the light show, she is “taking a leap of faith” and planning to light up the park and have it ready to open Dec. 11 to Dec. 21.
“It truly is a real Christmas miracle,” said Sharp. “The public has been donating and really want to save Christmas in Williams Park so we have to try. The Township is behind us and the community is too,” said Sharp.
The Township mayor and volunteers and hopefully many members of the public will come to the official lighting of the park on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m.
Sharp is asking for volunteers to show up on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. at the park to be ready to hang lights and put up inflatables. It may rain but “we have done the lights in the rain before.”
The two-day festivities of horse drawn-carriage rides and Santa can’t take place this year, but there are promises for an even bigger and better events next year.
More than $1,000 has been raised so far, with dollars and light donations coming in all the time.
It was less than two weeks ago when the society announced a Grinch had truly stolen Christmas from Williams Park and it wouldn’t be able to hold the annual light show and two-day festivities, as it had done for 22 years.
Thieves had made off with around $10,000 worth of lights stored at the park some time in October. It was the second theft in two years and one the society thought it just couldn’t come back from.
But the community spirit prevailed over the Grinch, and numerous people have been helping.
Kore Irrigation and Lighting, located at 19140 28 Ave., is offering discounted LED lights to purchase for the park, and is acting as a drop off station for anyone wanting to donate LED lights or cords. They are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Only LED lights can be accepted for Williams Park.
Anyone interested in volunteering or in offering lights or private donations can email christmasinwilliamspark@shaw.ca or show up on Sunday.