Tea Tree Gully Council’s Civic Park Carols could be canned due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
Last year, about 45,000 people packed Civic Park for Tea Tree Gully Council’s annual carols celebration headlined by Guy Sebastian. But it could be a “Silent Night” this year, if coronavirus measures remain.
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The immediate future of Tea Tree Gully Council’s popular Civic Park Carols is under a cloud amid coronavirus concerns.
Elected members last night discussed the prospect of abandoning the event this year, during wider talks about the council’s 2020/21 budget.
The Civic Park Carols event is the second biggest in the country, behind Sydney’s Carols in the Domain, with an estimated 45,000 people attending the 2019 concert headlined by Guy Sebastian.
While there was no official word on the future of the carols from the council, Cr Olivia Savvas, who was at the workshop, said a decision had to be made soon.
“It was indicated to us that no decision has been made but there’s a certain date when we’d have to decide either continue or not to continue with it,” Cr Savvas said.
“We weren’t given that date but my understanding is it’ll depend on the laws of the day.”
Currently, South Australians are not allowed to gather in groups of more than 10 people.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week COVID-19 restrictions would remain in place for at least another month.
But other large-scale events, including the Royal Adelaide Show in September, have already been cancelled in anticipation of longer-term social-distancing measures.
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Deputy Mayor Damian Wyld said: “While Civic Park Carols is much-loved event by our community, there are external factors that may prevent us from holding it this year. We’ll put off making a decision as long as we can, providing it gets the approval of elected members in our 2020/21 budget.”
Cr Lucas Jones said the council would continue to monitor the situation.
“I hope that by the time Christmas comes, (the) council will be able to host the carols event,” Cr Jones said.
“I think everyone will be looking forward to some Christmas cheer.
“The City of Tea Tree Gully will do everything in its power to make sure they can continue this year.”
A council spokeswoman said it was too early to make a decision on the 2020 carols.
“The council has not set its budget for 2020/21 and we don’t know what public gathering and social-distancing restrictions will be in place by December,” the spokeswoman said.