By Cecilia Nasmith
At its committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday, Cobourg council voted to set up an ad hoc committee to examine the possibility of returning Christmas Magic to Victoria Park.
The Christmas decoration-and-lighting extravaganza took place there each holiday season for many years until, in 2015, it was moved to the harbourfront for a number of reasons. These included easing stress on the trees in the park and the superior electrical infrastructure of the harbourfront area.
At council, Bruce Moore made the appeal, based on his Facebook survey as well as his own wishes to see Victoria Park return to its former holiday glory.
In its current location, Moore said, it looks more like a private display for the owners of the harbourfront condominiums, while the park is left in the dark.
“People who voted (on his survey) say how they miss it from when they were young, seeing the bandshell lit up, and now not being able to share it with their kids,” he reported.
“Almost 1,300 voted, and over 1,200 said light the park. Forty-four said leave it where it is,” Moore added.
“This is not a small amount of people. Many of you, while you were campaigning, said you were here for the people, This is a way to prove it.”
Moore shared some of the comments his survey produced, including one respondent who pointed out that it is far safer to let children run about among the decorations in the park, than in the harbourfront where a roadway divides the display.
Councillor Adam Bureau made a motion to strike an ad hoc committee to examine the issue and to include it in budget deliberations. Councillor Brian Darling suggested that their work might include a survey to measure support for moving it back to Victoria Park, leaving it at the harbourfront, extending it from the harbourfront to Victoria Park, or discontinuing it altogether.
