West Memphis already getting ready to deck the halls

West Memphis already getting ready to deck the halls

A& P planning to spread a little more holiday cheer with new Christmas lighting around the city

news@theeveningtimes.com

Attention shoppers, Christmas is just 11 weeks way. With the holidays on the horizon, it was time to make a Christmas light shopping list at a recent West Memphis Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting.

The A& P will expand the city light display all the way down East Broadway with a unique look. Each established Christmas light area will come back with the same lights on utility poles, but different displays were set for different districts.

“This gives each area its own identity,” said Advertising and Promotion Commissioner Ramona Taylor.

Missouri Street was set for a repeat of LED snow flakes on every other pole.

The Main Street Christmas lights were repeating wreaths and garland on the classic gas light styled poles. Ingram Blvd. has been adorned in holiday banners during recent winter seasons. The 60 poles from along East Broadway from 14th Street to MLK will be fitted brand new shooting stars, candy canes, and Christmas candle lit ornaments.

“We could do a light on every other pole and then a banner,” said Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jim Jackson.

The CVB chief estimated the price between $12,000 and $15,000. With Christmas time ordering deadlines fast approaching for big municipal displays the price tag fit under the threshold for of $20,000 price tag requiring competitive bidding. Jackson procured multiple bids anyway and the A& P authorized him to buy new decorations and work with the city utility about installation.

Putting the lights on East Broadway won’t be as easy as Missouri St. The east end light poles weren’t wired with outlets. “When they changed the poles out to cobra head LED lighting they changed wiring to,” said Jackson.

“That could make difficulty and expense to get outlets on the poles. Missouri Street literally had outlets ready on the poles.”

“We have not done a good job of promoting East Broadway and I think this is a way to do it,” said Commissioner Ramona Taylor.

Worthington Park was again dubbed the scene for another huge city tree and host an early arrival for Santa Claus again this year.

By John Rech