Springfield Christmas Tree?

[AMacris]

Hey neighbors,

With the upcoming Holiday Home Tour and luminaria night, I thought it would be really cool if we actually had a Springfield Christmas tree.

I scoped out Klutho Park and it looks like there is a cluster of cedar trees right around the pump house by the third disc golf basket.

What if we decorated and lit one or all of them and made it our official Christmas tree for the neighborhood. Sounds like a fun community project to me. And the tourgoers will be walking right by there from the Karpeles. Adam and Michael are planning on lighting the park for the tour, and this, to me will be a nice angel on top. We have power at the pump house.

Anyone else think this is a good idea? If so, anyone want to help organize it. I'm a bit tapped out working on the tour and prepping for #2.

Maybe we could all contribute some extra ornaments and lights and make this happen. The holiday tour is 11/30 - 12/1, so maybe the week before that. Who's in?

Andrew.

[Debbie Thompson]

Sounds like a great idea. A few years ago, we talked about a tree on Main Street with a tree lighting ceremony in conjunction with the tour. This sounds like something that will work well without us having to put up a tree.

How many of you remember the tree on the Hart Expressway that the neighbor lady used to decorate every year until it got too big for her to reach it?

Wouldn't it be fun to do this every year? And have a tree lighting party in conjunction with it? Or as kickoff to the tour?

I'm pretty swamped at work, but I'm on vacation next week, Andrew, so I'd have some time to help organize it. Maybe whoever can help, we can meet at Kool Beans or Three Layers and put something together, then divide up the "stuff."

Is there room in the SPAR Building to store donated items until decorating day? We can also take monetary donations to buy decorations if people want to help and don't have decorations to share.

[Chris Farley]

Michael Trautmann and Adam Halstead have already agreed to light Klutho park, from 2nd Street to the Bankstand as they did two years ago, it is wonderful. Doug Vanderlaan is going to play in the bandstand each night of the tour

[Yardchick]

Start with talking to John Fabiano for some inexpensive but beautiful ideas.

[Miss Fixit]

This is a great idea, Andrew, and there's some interesting history and precedent for a Springfield tree: Confederate Park was originally named Dignan Park, and back before 1914 Dignan Park was the site of Jacksonville's municipal Christmas tree. This item appeared in the December 28, 1913 newspaper:

"Several prominent young Riverside men said they would renew attempts to establish a municipal Christmas tree tradition in Dignan Park, despite the recent unfortunate occurrence wherein strong winds blew the tree over and soaking rain prevented caroling."

We could celebrate the 99th anniversary of that event! Without the strong winds and cancellation of Christmas caroling, of course.

[Gloria]

Great idea!

[AMacris]

Great. Let's see if we can get some more people on board. On top of the lights and ornaments, we'd need a 30 foot lift, maybe a little higher, to reach the top. Do we know anyone who would donate this for the cause? Otherwise, it's about $300-400 a day, but we could probably get it for the weekend.

[Chris Farley]

Talk to Daryl Joseph, the city may donate it, they have done it before

[markusic]

Rivers Pest Control does a lot of houses in the area. And they have a lift. Perhaps talk to them?

[Naples Chica]

This would neat. We have some lights!!