It could soon begin to look a lot like Christmas – or Diwali or Canada Day – on Columbia Street.
After several attempts at dealing with a staff report about proposed swag lighting on Columbia Street, council finally made a decision about new lighting that will adorn Columbia Street.
“It’s an important part of the city,” said Coun. Bill Harper. “I think people in the city will appreciate it."
Staff presented council with several options for its consideration, including an exact replica of the lighting that draped across the street in past decades and a modern interpretation. Council approved an option featuring a crown motif in the centre that can be changed out seasonally with other motifs like a snowflake.
During the heyday of the Golden Mile, swag lighting with a crown motif decorated Columbia Street.
“We are going to start this year with a modern version of that,” Harper said.
While there are “some detractors” on the issue of swag lighting, Harper believes the use of lighting is a really important way of enhancing the downtown environment and contributing to economic development activities.
Although he’s a “heritage guy,” Coun. Jaimie McEvoy said he preferred lighting that could be adapted to reflect New Westminster’s increasingly multicultural community. Not only could the centre motif be used to celebrate Christmas, he said it could be changed to reflect holidays such as Diwali.
“If we are going to do it, we should be doing it properly,” he said.
Coun. Betty McIntosh preferred swags that were an exact replica of the lights that draped across Columbia Street in the past, but supported the more modern lighting so the project could be in place by this Christmas. In addition to providing a festive feel to the business area, she said it would continue to enhance pedestrian safety during the dark winter months.
Coun. Jonathan Cote said he supports beautification efforts but isn’t convinced “strings of lights are the highest priority”, especially considering the cost.
The city has included $30,000 in this year’s capital budget for the project. The “accessorized design” approved by council has a cost of $7,350 per fixture, excluding installation.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr joined Cote in opposing the expenditure, suggesting the city wait another year and see if a partnership could be struck with the Downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Area.
Harper said cities around the world use lighting to enhance their neighbourhoods, suggesting Rockefeller Centre in New York City is a great example of Christmas lighting.
“It is a magnet for tourism,” he said. “I think it is something the people of New York are very, very proud of.”
