Councillors bid to ban beloved Lake Monger Christmas tree lights rejected amid community backlash
A bid to ban the popular Lake Monger Christmas tree lights has been quickly shut down, with not one Town of Cambridge councillor supporting the idea from their colleague Gavin Foley.
Cr Foley had pressed for better environmental practices to be exercised with ratepayer funds and as part of that called for the traditional centrepiece of festive celebrations in Cambridge since 1995 to be scrapped this Christmas.
Mr Foley’s proposal had continued to receive backlash since it was revealed by PerthNow last week, including from Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, who called the motion “ridiculous” in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“Don’t let common sense and tradition die!” the caption read.
The man who puts up the lights each year, Micktric Events contractor Michael Algeri, said he was happy to hear that the Christmas tradition will remain.
“Every year when we install it, families, friends and kids gather at the tree to see the lights,” he said.
“It’s really become a much-loved community project.”
As part of his written reasoning to council, Mr Foley said the cost of the annual light installation had been an irresponsible use of ratepayer funds and that the Norfolk pine tree has suffered because of the decorations.
“For the last 20-plus years the town has hung approximately 900 fossil-fuelled lights on a pine tree at Lake Monger for no good reason,” Cr Foley said.
According to the town, the cost to council to decorate the Christmas tree last year was $26,620.
It is typically lit up each night from December 1 to January 6, with the lights turned off at midnight.
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