Printable VersionAfter nearly 30 years, the city’s Christmas tree in Wheeler Park will be lit in silence because the annual lighting ceremony has been eliminated, according to city officials.
 Jayne Hanson/News-Herald Photo. Lake Havasu City water division crewmen Ronnie Benjamin, left, and Wayne Patenaude inspect and replace bulbs of four Christmas tree decorations on London Bridge Monday morning before the tree was lifted to fit atop one of the Bridge’s flagpoles. |
This year would have been the 29th annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in the park, said Havasu pioneer Toady Dolan.
According to the Dec. 3, 1980 edition of the Mohave Colorado River Sun, hundreds of adults and children applauded and sang Christmas carols during the inaugural lighting ceremony that year.
The city mayor, Gene Pinto, was in attendance for the event and threw the switch “turning the 35-foot Aleppo pine tree into a blizzard of lights,” the story said.
The tree is truly a community tree because it was founded by the donations collected from many local businesses in town at the time.
In 1980, the tree was gifted to the city from Havasu residents Ed Frederico and Jim Carr, Dolan said.
“I am feeling very sad at this time,” said Dolan, who has performed at the yearly ceremony with the Colomonde Chorus for the past 15 years. The group of about 30 singers was quite surprised and quite disappointed when they learned of the cancellation, Dolan said.
In the past, the ceremony tapped personnel from several city-operated entities including the police, fire, street and the parks departments, Morrison said.
“It is labor intensive having to close the street and direct the traffic (during the event), so it doesn’t surprise me it has been cancelled,” said Lake Havasu City spokesman Charlie Cassens. The cost of the ceremony was unavailable late Wednesday afternoon, according to Cassens and Lake Havasu City Parks division manager Bart Wagner.
The tree in Wheeler Park will be lit Dec. 6, Morrison said.
Each year in November, the parks division assigns a crew of five workers and the water division assigns a crew of four workers to decorate the city in time for the holidays.
Preparations begin a week or more before the décor is placed on city buildings, along McCulloch Boulevard, at the Aquatic and Community Center and on London Bridge.
The parks division crew works about five days to hang 48 candles and trees on light poles that line the Uptown District of McCulloch. Also in that area, they wrap palm trees with rope lighting, Morrison said.
A Christmas tree donated by Jerry and Cindy Aldridge is set up in Pima Wash and the railings in the area are trimmed, the parks division supervisor said.
A Happy Holidays sign with a toy train as well as a large toy soldier decoration are displayed on the outer walls of the Aquatic Center.
Overall, about 60 wreaths are hung around the city at the Police Department and Aquatic Center.
“They are the original wreaths that used to hang on the old gas poles that ran along McCulloch from Acoma to Lake Havasu Avenue,” Morrison said.
The gas light poles have been retrofitted for electricity and have since been placed in and light Rotary Park, he said.
London Bridge is decorated by the water division crew and after initial preparations, is a four-days undertaking.
Brent Morris, water division field supervisor for Lake Havasu City, said London Bridge is decorated with four lighted Christmas trees, 14 scrolls that attach to the antique lamp posts on top of the Bridge, and eight 12 foot wreaths that hang on the sides of the Bridge.
“We use a boat and climb up on the turtle backs, at the base of the pillars, to attach chains from the wreaths to the Bridge so they don’t blow in the breeze,” said Adam Kober, a water division crewman who has been adorning the bridge this time of year for six years.
The Bridge has been decorated in the same way for about 15 years, said Morris, who has worked with the city for 19 years, and the crew.
The water division crew finished their holiday décor duties Wednesday and the parks division will be done Friday, the division supervisors said.
You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.
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