Winter Lights Program Could Be Facing A Dim Future Lack Of Money, Volunteers May Force Parks Department To Pull The Plug

Spokane’s Parks and Recreation Department may turn off the annual Winter Lights display.

Loss of revenue and flagging volunteer interest - along with the threat of a lawsuit - leave the department with little choice but to pull the plug on the holiday event, said Director Ange Taylor.

“We’ve shown a loss of about $2,000,” Taylor said. “We don’t intend to renew the lease.”

The display’s fate lies with the Park Board and the nonprofit Parks and Recreation Foundation. Both boards will take up the issue next month and may consider other options for keeping the lights on, possibly in a new location, Taylor said.

Many residents living near The Creek at Qualchan golf course - home to the Winter Lights display the past three years - were relieved to hear the lights probably won’t be back next year.

“It’s always a nuisance and annoyance to come home and find cones and volunteers all over the road to your house,” said Bridalwood resident Gail Howard.

“We haven’t had a normal holiday season in the last three years,” said another Bridalwood resident, Barry Thrash. Last December, Thrash hired attorney Steve Eugster to try to convince the city to unhook the display permanently.

But Thrash’s neighbor, Joyce Cutler, was disappointed to hear of the event’s likely fate. “I think it’s a wonderful activity for the city,” said Cutler.

The nonprofit Parks Foundation owns the lights and leases them to the Parks Department, which runs the display. Each year, the department hands over profits to the foundation, which uses them to buy playground equipment for city parks or swim lessons for poor children.

Eugster argues the Parks Department violated state law by giving the display’s profits to the foundation.

“They have no business putting together deals with private entities,” Eugster said.

This year, the Parks Department had no money to hand over.

During the first season in 1994, nearly 24,000 cars and buses toured Qualchan to see the colorful Santas and reindeer, skiers and elves. The show turned a $32,000 profit.

Last year, the light show attracted just 7,000 vehicles.

“It was a money loser,” said Marion Severud, the display’s coordinator.

Severud said putting on the display took up a great deal of park employees’ time. They worked on the event during the day and often volunteered there at night.

“They’re tired after three years,” Taylor said. He said he can’t recommend the Park Board continue a program that’s so heavily subsidized by the city.

Taylor also said he planned to recommend ways to bring the display back, such as leasing the lights to a private promoter.

, DataTimes