Downtown Auburn is starting to get into the holiday spirit and local residents might notice some new touches to the seasonal trim.
City crews will be hanging holiday decorations in the downtown area over the next two weeks. Most of the garland, ornaments and lights are new because the city recently spent approximately $36,000 on the decor with help from some local organizations.
The decorations will hang at city hall and on light posts along Genesee Street and Loop Road. They will be completely up by Thanksgiving, City Manager Mark Palesh said Monday.
The city council approved the purchase in October, though the Stardust Foundation donated $6,000 for the decorations and the Downtown Business Improvement District and Auburn Beautification Commission each donated $2,000.
Palesh said the decorations are important for the city's spirit and the community should not hang its head because of the current economic turmoil that is being felt through the state and country.
The city is also letting local businesses use the old decorations for free.
“We need to be thankful for the blessings we do have,” Palesh said. “This is a way to put on a good face.”
One decoration for which the city did not pay for is a new, 20-foot blue spruce tree standing across from city hall. The tree was donated by Dan Rehkugler, who owns the Binghamton landscaping business, Mowmentum.
The city was going to buy and plant a tree from Rehkugler, but he decided to give it in the spirit of the season, according to Auburn Superintendent of Public Works Jerry DelFavero.
“He gave me a price, and then he called me back and said not to worry about it,” DelFavero said.
When all the decorations are up, they will adorn between 200 and 250 light poles, as well as the new spruce tree and city hall. Crews will probably also do some work on the west end of town sometime next week, DelFavero said.
DelFavero added that the city could also get some more seasonal goodies in the future.
“We had to scale down some of the decorations, so we hope to add some next year,” DelFavero said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
The decorations will hang at city hall and on light posts along Genesee Street and Loop Road. They will be completely up by Thanksgiving, City Manager Mark Palesh said Monday.
The city council approved the purchase in October, though the Stardust Foundation donated $6,000 for the decorations and the Downtown Business Improvement District and Auburn Beautification Commission each donated $2,000.
Palesh said the decorations are important for the city's spirit and the community should not hang its head because of the current economic turmoil that is being felt through the state and country.
The city is also letting local businesses use the old decorations for free.
“We need to be thankful for the blessings we do have,” Palesh said. “This is a way to put on a good face.”
One decoration for which the city did not pay for is a new, 20-foot blue spruce tree standing across from city hall. The tree was donated by Dan Rehkugler, who owns the Binghamton landscaping business, Mowmentum.
The city was going to buy and plant a tree from Rehkugler, but he decided to give it in the spirit of the season, according to Auburn Superintendent of Public Works Jerry DelFavero.
“He gave me a price, and then he called me back and said not to worry about it,” DelFavero said.
When all the decorations are up, they will adorn between 200 and 250 light poles, as well as the new spruce tree and city hall. Crews will probably also do some work on the west end of town sometime next week, DelFavero said.
DelFavero added that the city could also get some more seasonal goodies in the future.
“We had to scale down some of the decorations, so we hope to add some next year,” DelFavero said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
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cm wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:19 AM:
know where your child is after 9pm!!!! "