Here's the latest from Allentown Communications Director Genesis Ortega concerning this past weekend's vandalism at "Lights in the Parkway."
Move It Monday will proceed tonight as planned, featuring a Hanukkah Night theme in partnership with the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Police will be present throughout the event to help ensure a safe and welcoming experience for all attendees.
At this time, there is no public criminal update related to the vandalism investigation. We continue to assess the full scope of damage. While the final valuation is still being tallied, the City is currently projecting a minimum loss of $100,000, which includes staffing costs, damaged and destroyed displays, and lost revenue.
Several signature displays have been confirmed as total losses and are not salvageable, including Old Man Winter, Penguin with the Top Hat, and Fishing Penguins, with a combined estimated value of $60,000.
Despite the damage, the City is grateful to share that Holiday Outdoor Decor reached out immediately after learning about the incident and visited the site this morning. In a remarkable show of support, the company has loaned 22 display pieces to help replace those that were damaged. City crews are actively removing vandalized displays, and thanks to this generosity, the attraction will be restored and ready to reopen to vehicle traffic tomorrow night, provided there are no additional setbacks.
Lights in the Parkway is a fundraiser benefiting local nonprofit organizations. Due to last night’s closure, the featured nonprofit, Allen High School, lost a day of donations. The City will still provide the organization’s stipend for the impacted day, and additional donations are encouraged.
Those interested in supporting the program and helping replace damaged displays can contribute through The Parknership at: https://givebutter.com/25lights. Donations will be used directly to replace destroyed light displays.
We also extend our sincere thanks to the sponsors who support Lights in the Parkway year after year, as well as the many community members who have expressed encouragement and support.
The City will continue to provide updates as the damage assessment and investigation progress.
The mayor didn't want these lights. Does he have an alibi?
ReplyDeleteThe lights are pathetic.
Delete@12:06
Delete“The mayor doesn’t want the lights.”
Well that might be the only thing that I can agree with him on.
Defiling GOD's creations to make a profit.
ReplyDelete"Police will be present........" A forward-thinking administration should have thought of that beforehand.
ReplyDeleteThe APD has never, ever, made any effort to patrol the Parkway, before, during or after Lights. Allentown is going down the drain. The mayhem in Center City is inevitably moving out.
DeleteI didn't see the mustang parked in front of the fire hydrant that night.
ReplyDeleteAllentown has been way too soft on crime within its city limits. It's as if neighborhood level crimes are dealt with by making excuses for perpetrators, soft slaps on the hand, and general look-the-other-way tendencies.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of brazen escalation grows out of such an environment. Like litter and graffiti left on streets and walls eventually leads to even MORE of that crap. Or, maybe, it's just called "art."
What time did they finally put this statement out?
ReplyDeleteI know several people who didn’t go, as they relied on previous statements from the Mayor that it would be closed for several days. I pity the private vendors that surely lost out because of all this.
By the way, the “improved” city website sucks if you’re actually trying to find any information. It’s like it was (re)designed by a high school student.
The City of Allentown is terrible in the communications department but then the current administration is not good at anything.
DeleteThe homeless people have called the Mayor a flat out liar.
At 7:11
DeleteIt remains the City Without Limits, the perfect motto.
Christmas lights and inflatable displays are responsible for 3%of the total electricity consumed during the month of December in this era of catastrophic climate change it is inexcusable and we at the E.L.F are very pleased to see these decadent indulgences were summarily eradicated.
ReplyDeleteBLUE BADGER
The vandalism saddens me for a variety of reasons. Lights is truly a monumental endeavor put on by the city employees who both build and maintain the displays as well as those who staff the attraction each evening. There are also volunteer groups who help with staffing as a means to raise funds. As to the vandals, again I am saddened because as a teen I was more than capable of this magnitude of property destruction and engaged in some horrible behavior. At the time it was fun and funny, but now I only feel regret and shame. But as with many bad things that happen, good people come forward to help put the pieces back together. Just as they did when I was a heathen.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, this third rate display takes the parks staff away from winter maintenance and other important activities for months at a time. It’s a giant net loss of city resources and has been since Heydt pushed it through.
Delete“It’s a done deal.”
It’s a waste of time and manpower.
Christ, the Baby Jesus, is entirely missing from this crass display.
ReplyDeleteIt’s just lights, folks. It can be repaired. I didn’t care for it at first but I saw that kids loved it. So as I remember, as a young man, these things only happen when a group of adolescents discover they can create havoc. A single kid wouldn’t dream of this kind of mischievous destruction, but the power of a group can make a kid feel like a big man. Sadly, I hope those results are caught and punished. What can’t be repaired is the reputations of those involved. This is a teaching moment, much like January 6th. Destruction of property should never go unpunished.
DeleteSad part is it benefits local charities, but I'm not surprised since Allentown is turning into a ghetto.
ReplyDeleteKudos to holidayboutdoor decor. Some on this blog seem to miss the enjoyment these lights bring. I was very sad to hear of this vandalism. What have we become?
ReplyDelete