Acton residents are rallying to save an annual Christmas lights display in the community.
A story on Sunday on HaltonHillsToday that Light up the Hills would not be doing its traditional Acton display by the arena due to a lack of volunteers has mobilized the community.
“There was a significant community reaction,” said Ward 1 Councillor Alex Hilson. “We’re doing what we can working with Light Up the Hills.”
Matthew Galliford and local realtor Sarah Brophy-Platts are working with Hilson to see if the display can be saved for this year. And despite a surge of people coming forward to volunteer, a number of hurdles remain.
Light up the Hills volunteer coordinator Michele Cameron said Light up the Hills will be meeting with the Town of Halton Hills and the Acton group on Tuesday. Light up the Hills’ board will then have to decide whether to move forward with the Acton display this year, or assess the situation and prepare for its return next year.
“People do care about it,” Hilson said. “We’ve seen this before where the community has rallied in the past and come together.”
In addition to displays in Georgetown and Glen Williams, the volunteer-based Light up the Hills has been doing a display in Acton every year since 2011. However, the volunteer group in Acton had dwindled to the point that it was almost a one-person operation. Volunteers from Georgetown and Glen Williams helped with the Acton display last year, but with their volunteer numbers also suffering since COVID, it wasn't sustainable.
Cameron said it’s not as simple as stringing lights on a tree. Lifts are required to reach the tops of trees. Because Acton had so few volunteers last year, the annual repairs to displays were not made. Some of the lights were never removed because they had been clipped to the tree and required a lift to be removed. Cameron said many of those are likely damaged.
With Light up the Hills being a volunteer organization with a limited budget reliant on fundraising, damaged lights were not replaced after the decision was made to not do the Acton display this year.
Cameron said whether it’s this year or next, she’s encouraged by people wanting the display to return. She said it's a great way to greet people as they enter the town.
“I go to Acton a lot. I enjoy it as well. It looks beautiful and I get why they want it there,” she said. “I’m happy people are concerned about it. I’m happy that people took the time to email me.”
But she said the goal is to make it sustainable year-after-year.
“We need a dedicated group who see a future in it and want to keep volunteering in future years,” Cameron said.
