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VIDEO: How the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more Christmas lights for Langley City

City was ‘determined to provide some holiday cheer for the community’
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Lights glitter near McBurney plaza on Saturday, Jan 9, 2020. Funds from the cancelled Magic of Christmas parade were used to add lights this year and for years to come, a report said. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

If you thought there seemed to be more Christmas lights in downtown Langley City over the holiday season, you were right.

A report to City Council shows money from this year’s cancelled Christmas parade will be brightening up streets for years to come, thanks to a decision to use funds budgeted for the parade to add lights to McBurney Plaza.

Tera Edell, City recreation supervisor, said after the provincial health officer and the minister of health directed that all public gatherings larger than 50 people must be cancelled or postponed to curb the spread of Covid-19, the parade was called off.

READ ALSO: Latest COVID restrictions cancels Aldergrove Christmas Light-Up parade

So the municipal Magic of Christmas parade committee made the decision to provide funding to the parks department, to purchase additional Christmas light display items to further enhance McBurney Plaza.

Committee chair Coun. Paul Albrecht praised City staff at the Monday, Jan. 11 meeting when the report was tabled, for their ability to “pivot and think outside the box.”

Albrecht added some of the new lights would be left up “a little longer than normal” to hopefully raise spirits.

READ ALSO: City lights ignite that Christmas spirit

Edell also reported that when the City created a holiday lights walking tour map, based on the Downtown Langley Mural Walk, to highlight and promote the five main displays in Langley City, Fraser Health advised the City to not proceed due to COVID-19.

Instead, a virtual tour of the lights in Langley City was produced and posted online.

As well, there was a social media ‘Countdown to Christmas’ using Elf on the Shelf.

Residents could follow Ally, Timmy and Doug, the Langley City elves, for their daily adventures as they counted down the days to Christmas. Each day their adventures were posted on the city web page, and the Langley City Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

“Our event in 2020 did not go as usual due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report noted.

“In spite of this, the committee was determined to provide some holiday cheer for the community.”



dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com

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Lights glitter in McBurney plaza on Saturday, Jan 9, 2020. Funds from the cancelled Magic of Christmas parade were used to add lights this year and for years to come, a report said. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)


Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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