Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 11/98) - Anybody out there got one of those plastic Santa Clauses they're not using this year?

If so, get it to John Campbell, community arena supervisor, as soon as you can. He's got a snowman, but can't find a Santa anywhere in town.

Last Wednesday, while getting a pretty solid ribbing from his co-workers, Campbell dressed up the community arena, stringing some lights and setting up a tree on the roof of the entrance.

John, why are you spending your own time up on the roof in the cold and dark?

"It's Christmas!" said Campbell. "You've got to have that jolly spirit, man. I try to do a little bit more each year."

Campbell got some help this year from students of Allain St. Cyr, who dropped by to paint Christmas images on the windows. The students did the same thing across the parking lot at Ruth Inch Memorial Pool.

There, pool workers traded their whistles for hammers during slow times to build a big "Merry Christmas" sign they hoisted onto the entranceway.

"It's an awfully heavy display, so, next year, we might put it out on the deck and make something new for the roof if we have the time," said pool manager Johanna Fischer.

The past few years, residents have been complaining that the city has taken a Scrooge-like approach to dressing up the town for Christmas. That view was reinforced last week, when council took a pass on buying new decorations in 1999.

"The ones they used to use downtown are kind of hazardous," explained public works superintendent Mickey Forrest.

The lack of decorating cash has not put a dent in Christmas spirits at the dump, er, solid waste management bailing facility.

"We've put some lights up at the gatehouse and at the drawbridge," said manager Dave Neufeld.

Drawbridge? That wasn't in the budget.

"Mr. (Walt) Humphries labelled it the drawbridge," explained Neufeld. "It's actually the weigh scale."

Forrest said city workers were in action Christmasizing the public works garage on Tuesday.

"We've got lights and a Santa Claus and some reindeer and a cross up on a tower and we've got lights and a tree."

The reindeer, cross and Santa Claus were made out of plywood by public works employees.