News
Exclusive: For the first time in over 30 years, it’s likely that no Christmas decorations will be hung on Dee & Tay streets.
On Wednesday night Esk Street Mall retailers were invited to Invercargill City Council chamber for an update on the Esk Street Mall redevelopment and plans for Christmas decorations & lights.
Christmas decorations from mid 1980s
The council said the old lights cannot be put back up because they are so old that they are a potential health and safety risk. As Dee & Tay Streets are state highways and there is a higher risk, with the traffic volumes that something could fall and hurt someone below, plus the lights no longer work properly.
Council is concentrating on festive decorations and lights for Esk Street Mall and Wachner Place this year, as stage one for new decorations. However, a final decision has not yet been made on Dee & Tay Streets for this year.
Editor: What they have planned for Esk is quite exciting, but we can’t tell you due to a media embargo by ICC.
They hope to have the new decorations for Esk in time for the Esk Street Mall Christmas Market Day on Saturday 5th December.
The original Christmas lights were known as the Corbett lights from a bequeath to the city from the Corbett family, those lights in the late 80s, modelled on London’s at the time.
The new festive decorations and lights will be done in stages for budgeting purposes. And also as the CBD redevelopment progresses.
Council plan to have an official unveiling of the new Esk Street Mall Christmas decorations & lights once installed.