Santa Claus will be coming to town for this year’s parade, but it could be his last ride in the Royal City.
On Monday, city council considered a staff report about proposed 2015 Christmas events in New Westminster, including a Santa Claus Parade, post-parade activities and a new Christmas market at Anvil Centre and a tree-lighting event in Hyack Square. For the past two years, the city has hosted the Santa Claus Parade and a tree-lighting ceremony at Hyack Square and has teamed up with the Shops at New West Station, River Market and Fraser River Discovery Centre for post- parade activities.
Veteran councillors Jaimie McEvoy and Chuck Puchmayr spoke in favour of the Santa Claus Parade.
“I don’t see any good reason to be taking an event way from this community that people enjoy,” McEvoy said.
Rookie councillors Mary Trentadue and Patrick Johnstone were more inclined to do away with the parade and focus on other programming.
Trentadue said she’d prefer tht the city revamp its Christmas offerings and try to find a “creative and innovative” ways of celebrating the holiday in an inclusive way.
Johnstone said he’s not married to the idea of holding the Santa Claus Parade, noting there are a lot of variables, such as weather, attached to the event’s success. He’d prefer to see other Christmas activities expanded and resources aimed at creating activities on either side of the pedestrian overpass at Hyack Square.
Mayor Jonathan Cote supported the parade – with a caveat that he’s willing to explore alternative options to the event in the future. Without a more detailed proposal at this time, Cote said he supports continuation of the Santa Claus Parade in 2015.
Council directed staff to organize a Santa Claus Parade for Saturday, Dec. 5, to host post-parade events on the fourth floor of Anvil Centre, a Christmas Market in the vacant restaurant space (if it’s still not leased by December) and a tree-lighting ceremony in Hyack Square at 5 p.m. The city will also encourage other downtown businesses to participate post-parade events.
