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Decorations Are Beautiful … But They Cost a Bit

(Headline in the Dec. 10, 1970 Lake Placid News)

So Merry Christmas to all my friends in Lake Placid.

I spent so much of my time in Lake Placid from the time I was a teenager — later owned a home in Lake Placid (Patch Lane), editor of the Lake Placid News, Lake Placid Real Estate, general manager of the Lake Placid Club and on the staff of the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee.

A candid story from the village board: “Lake Placid’s winter decorations are up around town, but the village board is concerned about the question of expense.

“The garlands of natural evergreens overhanging Main Street involve considerable time on the part of highway department employees, according to highway superintendent John Fell. Besides, said Mr. Fell, ‘we’re running out of trees.’ The board discussed decorations briefly at their Monday evening meeting and directed Mr. Fell to ‘work up’ a few examples of other decorations he had in mind for the future.

“A triangular tree-like shape of colored lights were proposed by Mr. Fell for hanging from new street lamps. He said he had seen them in Switzerland.

“The board agreed that the present decorations are expensive even though as Trustee Jim Rogers pointed out, they are ‘winter’ decorations, not just ‘Christmas’ decorations. Mr. Rogers voiced his disapproval of plastic things, but did suggest that artificial garlands be considered.

“Another expense is replacement of Christmas tree lights. The village not only foots the bill for new lights each week, but must consider the time by the highway department employees.

“People cannot use the lights, said Trustee Harry Fregoe, for they are too big for home trees and too small for ordinary lights bulbs.

‘They (the bulb culprits) just pop them,’ he said.

“Permission was granted Mickey Spencer to offer prizes for snow sculptures to decorate part of the village park. Mr. Spencer suggested to the board, through Mayor Robert Peacock, that some sculptures be allowed in the parking lot, but this, it was decided, would make parking too difficult.”

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