Beach lights to shine on
After city fee hike threatened event, tradition will live on with donations to hospital
Santa Claus will help “Light Up the Beach” on Friday, despite a city fee hike that threatened the neighbourhood’s 10-year tradition.
“People in the community were disappointed that it was potentially not going ahead,” said Rick DeClute, co-owner of a local real estate company that puts on the event.
Festooning trees along the Boardwalk with thousands of colourful Christmas lights for Light Up the Beach will come at a higher cost this year, as the city increased tree rental fees after deeming it a “commercial sponsorship.”
The yearly event is a chance to bring the festive spirit to the Boardwalk during the winter months, DeClute said. He also uses the event as a platform for charity with all proceeds donated to Michael Garron Hospital.
The cost to rent 15 trees from the Leuty lifeguard station to the Balmy Beach Club was hiked to $4,200 this year from $3,500, plus HST, DeClute said. They also have to put down a $10,000 deposit in the event of any damages, and the ballooning price was enough to deter his family from continuing the spectacle, he told the Star last month.
As the holiday season approached, and after several months of correspondence with the city and Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, DeClute decided to absorb the costs himself.
“When I stepped back from it, it’s not about the money,” he said. “We’re doing it because we love doing it and the community likes it.”
DeClute said he received several generous offers from people to cover the increased costs to run the event, but turned it down in favour of having all donations go toward the hospital.
DeClute hopes to raise $20,000 this year to beat last year’s total of $15,000.
Light Up the Beach kicks off with Santa Claus turning on the lights on Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. The lights will be up until Valentine’s Day. With files from Julien Gignac and Victoria Gibson
The event will come at a higher cost this year, as the city increased tree rental fees