Vandalism during preparations for the Winter Village has resulted in delays, increased costs, and frustration for Town of Sylvan Lake staff.
The Parks team has been preparing the beachfront and pier for the annual Winter Village since September.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve had over 11 tree lights cut or dismantled,” said Communications Officer Jared Waldo. “These lights are funded and supported by taxpayers and replacing these lights creates a heavy strain on an already tight budget.”
There are also additional costs associated with the vandalism such as renting lift equipment and hiring extra staff to handle the repairs.
Organizers invested $20,000 at the start of the season for necessary repairs and upgrades, not including the vandalism.
“It’s going to be a long, expensive winter if we continue replacing the lights on the pier. We want to ensure that Lakers enjoy this annual experience with their families and friends and they can’t do that if we constantly have to make repairs to the Winter Village,” added Waldo.
Waldo says the plan is to replace the lights and repair everything before the Winter Village is scheduled to kick off for the season.
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