News Release
Mayor Kelly Urges HRM to "Light-Up" for Holiday Season
(Thursday, December 5/2002) - As part of the national Winter Lights Celebrations, the Halifax Regional Municipality is asking residents to light up their homes, yards and neighbourhoods on or before December 14th. HRM is competing against six other capital cities to be crowned most festive municipality in Canada.
Mayor Peter Kelly today urged residents to put up their holiday lights up early and help HRM show off its many unique and distinct communities.
Mayor Kelly said "We have officially adorned City Hall and the Grand Parade with 30,000 mini lights. Fishermen's Cove, in Eastern Passage, and downtown Dartmouth are always beautifully decorated for the Holiday Season. The Canadian navy has agreed to light up its ships early and that is certain to impress the judges. However, it's the holiday spirit in the individual communities throughout the municipality that makes the Halifax Regional Municipality so special."
To give the contest judges the best possible representation of all of HRM, organizers are asking the public for its suggestions of homes, streets and neighbourhoods within the municipality that should be included on the judges' official tour on Saturday, December 14. Suggestions can be made to the HRM Call Centre at 490-4000 or to treelight@region.halifax.ns.ca before noon on Friday, December 13.
One winner will be randomly selected from among the calls and e-mails received before noon on Friday, December 13th. The winner and a guest will join the judges and others on their tour of HRM lights and have a chance to explain in person why HRM should win the Winter Lights Celebrations.
The Winter Lights Celebrations is a national competition encouraging municipalities throughout Canada to celebrate light with decorative, cultural and spiritual programs. Municipalities are judged on the whole community's winter lights, including public, private and commercial properties, as well as Holiday Season and winter activities. The evaluation will take into consideration, among other criteria, design, originality and impact. Homes can be decked out for Christmas, Chanukah or simply winter fun.
Mayor Kelly said he is excited about the potential for our Region and he encouraged residents to "light-up in support of our Winter Lights celebration."
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Cathryn Steel
Tourism, Culture and Heritage
(902) 490-6094
