No Christmas tree leads to backlash
EDMONTON • The decision not to erect a traditional Christmas tree in Edmonton’s Churchill Square has triggered backlash and what the city is describing as racist attacks.
City manager Andre Corbould and Edmonton Downtown Business Association board chairman Martin Kennedy have issued a statement clarifying the decision, saying while it could have been better communicated, they stood by the plan to focus on art installations, a Christmas market and light displays along Rice Howard Way — in addition to smaller tree attractions on the square.
“We are charting a new path,” their statement reads. “In retrospect, we should have communicated these activities better, and we apologize that some people were led to believe that Churchill Square would not be a festive place.”
Corbould and Kennedy also chastised those who they say reacted to the news with “online hate and bullying”
directed at Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and DBA executive director Puneeta Mcbryan.
“Those actions do not reflect the views of either the vast majority of Edmontonians or the organizations we lead,” they said.
News that Edmonton would not proceed with the Churchill Square tree broke last week, with the Downtown Business Association saying alternative programming was being pursued to offer a new experience and better value for businesses.
The association has typically bought the 50-foot tree or received it by donation — which Mcbryan said is unusual for a major Canadian city, where most town square Christmas trees are purchased by the municipality.
“It made sense (20 years ago) for a lot of reasons. It’s a really big signature event for the city, draws a lot of people downtown, and it was always a big one-night event
on a Saturday, and thousands of people would come down,” she said. “It was good for vibrancy for the duration of the event, but the direct benefit to businesses wasn’t really there.”
The new-look event, which begins Dec. 3, will now focus on Rice Howard Way, with trees along Churchill Square decorated as a “festive forest,” with other events and installations.
“We want to reassure Edmontonians that there will be fun and family-friendly holiday activities throughout December,” Corbould and Kennedy said. “To be clear, these were our decisions, and were not made by the mayor or city council.”
Sohi, for his part, weighed in via video last week, suggesting in rhyme that the controversy was in part a media creation for “clicks and views.”