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Letter: 12th Street merchants doing our best with Christmas lights

Editor: Re: City needs to add more Christmas lights on 12 th , Record , Nov. 29 I hear your frustration and feelings of inequality regarding the street displays throughout the city.
stock photo, Christmas lights

Editor:

Re: City needs to add more Christmas lights on 12th, Record, Nov. 29

I hear your frustration and feelings of inequality regarding the street displays throughout the city. As a merchant on 12th Street and one in New Westminster for now 50 years, I was delighted a few years back when the president of our merchants association approached the City of New Westminster about this exact issue.

We were told by the city that if we purchased the materials, the city would apply and remove the lights and store them each year at their expense. Our president at the time approached as many of our merchants as he could to sponsor lights on the street and the first year there were even signs put up on the street lamps to that effect in front of the stores that participated in the fundraising.

I enjoy the light displays and decorations that the Columbia and 6th Street have each year, but B. Kendall, you have to understand that the merchants on 12th Street are soul-proprietor small businesses and small mom-and-pop stores. We are not privileged to the deep corporate donations and sponsorship that the other streets might get to experience. We will continue to decorate our individual stores to make the street look as festive as possible and will always hope for that Christmas miracle that someone might have a generous heart. In the meantime, even these “pathetic string of lights” are a small victory for us that the rest of the city hasn’t forgotten us completely, now that we are not able to have the 12th Street music festival.

Lisa Mysynuk, owner/operator Tiffany’s Grooming Salon, New Westminster