Park Board Pulls The Plug On ‘Winter Lights’ Display

Fri., March 14, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

The Spokane Park Board turned off the annual “Winter Lights” display Thursday, voting unanimously not to put on the show next winter.

“It doesn’t mean we’re wiping our hands clean of ‘Winter Lights,”’ said Park Board member Steve Stockton. “I move that we don’t renew our lease.”

Parks Director Ange Taylor said he plans to talk with members of the nonprofit Park Foundation about other options that don’t require city parks employees to run the show.

The Parks and Recreation Department has leased the display from the Park Foundation since the show began in 1994. Each year, the department has handed over profits to the foundation, which uses the money to buy playground equipment for city parks or to pay for swim lessons for poor children.

The annual Christmas display at The Creek at Qualchan golf course was immensely popular the first season, attracting at least 24,000 cars and turning a $32,000 profit.

But last year, only 7,000 cars toured the display and the Parks Department lost $2,000. Volunteer interest also waned. And a few Qualchan residents continued to call the show a nuisance.

, DataTimes

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