Downtown Tree Lighting

[AllanY2525]

Could I offer a couple of suggestions regarding the string lights that were cut in
downtown trees?

Look for someone who knows how to use a soldering iron and some plastic
heat-shrink insulation, and fix the  lights instead of spending more money
to buy new ones. The tubing is cheap, durable and it's weather proof
and a soldering iron and solder can also be had cheaply at Radio Shack,
Home Depot, etc.

The tubing comes in various colors and diameters - and crystal clear, perfect
for the rope lights.

As far as the meaning of Christmas, the true meaning of/reason for Christmas has long
been obscured by the stores, the merchants, the greeting card companies, the candy
companies, "Black Friday", etc, etc. but the tradition of the lights, the tree, etc is a
nice one....visually beautiful and uplifting - especially during the middle of winter.

[Towntalk]

Squirrels eat LED lights, but not red ones

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/12/23/Squirrels-eat-LED-lights-but-not-red-ones/UPI-76911261595003/

[iwasthere]

When I was a kid, my parents would take me downtown on the bus.  We lived in Campbell and we had no car.  When we got down there, Christmas became more magical than a kid could remember.  All the stores were lit up and the downtown Christmas tree was huge.  There was also a Nativity Scene right in front of the tree.  Makes you wonder.  Everyone had a job, the economy was great.  Today there is NO Nativity Scene in Downtown Youngstown.  Hmmmmmmm
  What are they celebrating?  Back then, Strouss' and McKelvey's were open and there were so many people walking on the sidewalks that to get by them you had to walk on the street.  Where did all the people go?  Where did the Nativity Scene go?  Makes you wonder.

nativity scene did not go away just the meaning of christmas. my brothers and sisters and i grew up during the late sixties and seventies we had the same experience as you did but my nephews and nieces missed that wonderful downtown experience esp during the Xmas season.

[jay]

The freeway system also contributed to the demise of the downtown.  In the past, almost all people traveling from one side of town to the other had to pass through the downtown.

[northside lurker]

Downtown retail was killed by the malls and the closing of Federal Street.

[Smokey362]

When I was a kid, my parents would take me downtown on the bus.  We lived in Campbell and we had no car.  When we got down there, Christmas became more magical than a kid could remember.  All the stores were lit up and the downtown Christmas tree was huge.  There was also a Nativity Scene right in front of the tree.  Makes you wonder.  Everyone had a job, the economy was great.  Today there is NO Nativity Scene in Downtown Youngstown.  Hmmmmmmm
  What are they celebrating?  Back then, Strouss' and McKelvey's were open and there were so many people walking on the sidewalks that to get by them you had to walk on the street.  Where did all the people go?  Where did the Nativity Scene go?  Makes you wonder.

[Rick Rowlands]

Thats great news.      Could Cityscape provide assistance in maintaining the lights?   Downtown look very cheerful at night with all those trees lit up.

[jay]

I took a walk along West Federal Street today.  Many of the trees still have lights but many of the bulbs were missing and several of the light strings were cut.

Don't waste your funds on new lights unless someone is going to maintain them.

Recycling Idea
Remove the broken light strings and give the usable bulbs to someone who needs them.

[Lynds]

Rick,
its sad but the light where ruined after one year, I'm not going to guess who or why this happened but when it came to pruning the trees during the spring, instead of taking the rope lights down they were cut and left there hanging.
while its a bummer that there wasn't a solution this year, i did include $5,000. in my 2010 budget this includes up lightinf for 52 trees downtown, the up-lights will have changeable energy efficient light bulbs that we can change based on season (green St. . Patricks Day, yellow, purple, green for Mardi Gras...) I will keep you posted.
Lights are defiantly high on my list for 2010.

[Rick Rowlands]

Well that was one of the best things the City had ever done to improve the appearance of the downtown.  Shall we chalk this up as taking a step backward in downtown revitalization?

[john r. swierz]

    No, it was determined that the lite cords was doing harm to the branches so they cut them out.
    I am sure that cities across America are  still liting up their trees.

[Rick Rowlands]

Are the trees downtown still lit up at night?