Puslinch holiday display will continue, council implements new safety measures

A Puslinch man will be allowed to continue running his holiday light show despite pushback from neighbours.

On Wednesday, Puslinch council held a special meeting and handed down a decision to allow the show to continue from December 19 to 25 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The homeowner, Shawn Gusz, was at the centre of the debate after residents on Fox Run Drive wrote to council to complain about the influx of traffic the show brings into their neighbourhood.

“Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, it can get fairly busy, but we always try and manage it safely. We keep the road open on one side and we have signage around the area,” said Gusz.

The show has historically brought in cars from all over southern Ontario.

Gusz has lived on Fox Run Drive since 2015 and lived in Puslinch for 15 years.

In March, the town's council passed a bylaw regulating public displays. If any complaints are received about a display, the owner must apply for a permit.

Gusz was approved in October to have his display, but a few neighbours appealed the permit.

“The only people that are at risk of getting hit is if they’re walking in the streets at six or nine at night, completely not looking, while at the same time the people in the cars are completely not looking,” said Gusz.

Neighbours say they are concerned with the safety of the neighbourhood and show-goers as cars line up to see the display.

“Our street does not have sidewalks,” said John Holford, who lives near the display. “Our residents are forced to walk on the road,”

Council said they have heard from residents who say they are not happy with the display.

“A nurse actually had to park on the side of the road and walk up considerably to get to their house,” said John Sepulis, councillor for the Town of Puslinch.

Nearby resident John Holford said the proposal was not about the removal of the Christmas lights or the celebration of Christmas.

Council decided Gusz will be required to hire one off-duty police officer for traffic flow Monday to Thursday and two officers from Friday to Sunday

“[To] stop any concerns that people stopping on the sides of the road and blocking lanes of traffic for any emergency vehicles that may come through,” said Sepulis.

Adding: “I think it’s a good Christmas thing. Nobody wants to be Scrooge at this time of year,”