Monash Council cancels Carols by Candlelight at Jells Park again due to Covid
Despite Melbourne coming out of lockdown, another popular community event has been scrapped because of Covid red tape.
Outer East
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The beloved Boulevard Christmas lights have been cancelled for the second year running, despite Melbourne finally coming out of lockdown.
In a blow to the thousands of families who love walking down the Ivanhoe street to view decorated houses each year, Banyule Council says the event can’t go ahead because it’s impossible to implement the required Covid Safe requirements at the site.
In an update on its website, the council said it would not provide traffic management, programmed entertainment, event infrastructure or promotion for the event.
“We spoke with residents of The Boulevard and surrounding streets, conducting surveys, and have reviewed the advice from the Victorian Government and consulted with the Victorian Police,” the council said.
“Victorian Police have shared ongoing concerns about the risks of this event due to the mixing of vehicles and pedestrians.”
The council said under the State Government’s Events Framework the Boulevard Lights was classified as a Tier 1 event.
“The COVIDSafe requirements for Tier 1 events include fenced perimeters around the event allowing for contact tracing, QR check-ins and capping density numbers,” the council said.
“It would be impossible for these requirements to be implemented at this location.”
But the council said residents were not restricted from decorating their homes and police had confirmed that they will monitor traffic and crowds in the area throughout December.
The council advised residents who had concerns regarding crowds gathering along the Boulevard throughout December to phone Heidelberg police station.
It comes as councils across Melbourne are cancelling popular Carols By Candlelight events, while uncertainty surrounds the main event at Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
A decision is yet to be made on whether crowds will be allowed to attend the city’s famous annual event at the Bowl on Christmas Eve.
Last year’s Carols By Candlelight was a watch-from-home affair with spectators banned due to Covid concerns.
Vision Australia chief executive Ron Hooton said organisers would make an announcement in early November about crowd participation at the event, to be held for the 84th time this year.
“We are encouraged by the recent news of crowds being able to return to select sporting and live music events under the government’s road map and are keenly observing the trials of the Service Vic app that are currently under way,” Mr Hooton said.
The state government’s test events include a concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on October 30.
Meanwhile local councils have come under fire for already cancelling popular community carols.
Monash, Knox, Stonnington, Kingston, Moonee Valley and Bayside are among the councils to cancel outdoor carols this year.
Despite more freedoms on the way when we meet the 80 per cent vaccination threshold, expected to be on November 5, councils say uncertainty around rules for outdoor events forced them to pull the pin on carols, with the events taking months to plan.
But residents have taken to social media questioning the decision, especially when 10,000 racegoers will be allowed to attend the Melbourne Cup.
“If Melbourne can allow the horse race and all other sporting events to proceed then why not allow Christmas carols?” Delphine J Oti said.
Ratepayers Victoria president Dean Hurlston urged the councils to consider running smaller Carols by Candlelight events with Covid protocols in place.
“Christmas carols are a fundamental part of our communities coming together in celebration,” he said.
“We understand the challenges councils are facing but these events bring significant benefit to the overall mental and emotion well being of residents and ratepayers.
“Now that the state has a map to unlock, councils should be following these guidelines and implementing a smaller event with Covid protocols in place.
“Safe carols could mean enormous healing and connection when we are so desperate to recover from Covid and its losses.”
Monash’s huge Jells Park event, which normally attracts about 25,000 people, has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to the pandemic.
According to the council, as part of the state government’s road map to recovery, large-scale live events can’t resume until January at the earliest.
Monash mayor Brian Little said while he understood people would be disappointed the carols
had been cancelled, the health and safety of the community was paramount.
“In September the decision was made to cancel the event due to the uncertainty of the state’s road map and increasing numbers of Covid cases,” he said.
“The carols event is many months in the planning and, at this point, the risks associated with holding a public event the size of Carols by Candlelight makes it impossible to proceed.”
Cr Little said the mandate for single and double vaccinated attendance for venues and events had only recently been released by the state government.
He said the council remained committed to hosting a live event next year at Jells Park.
Subject to restrictions, the council has planned a Christmas program of daily activations across Monash.
Frankston’s Festival of Lights, which is the largest free Christmas event in Victoria, has also been called off because of safety concerns for the 50,000 patrons who normally attend.
Pre-Covid the huge street party was held at the end of November and included fireworks, carnival rides and a tree lighting ceremony.
Frankston mayor Kris Bolam said Christmas would still be celebrated via a month-long Magical Christmas campaign featuring smaller events and community activities.
“Council officers are working within the current state government restrictions and intend to deliver some in-person experiences and events alongside some virtual content as part of the month-long program,” Cr Bolam said.
Knox mayor Lisa Cooper said its outdoor carols event would also not proceed this year due to the impacts of Covid on public events, with the council planning a virtual event to be filmed at the Knox Community Arts Centre.
“Planning for carols starts months in advance and this was the safest and most reliable way to deliver a fantastic night of Christmas cheer without knowing what the restrictions might be and the likely complex measures required for outdoor public events,” Cr Cooper said.
Neighbouring Kingston Council has also scrapped its annual carols because of a lack of certainty about holding large scale events.
Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said the council was disappointed but was sure the community would understand the decision.
“The safety of our community is our main priority, and we know that although the community will be disappointed … they understand well the challenges associated with holding events at the moment.”
A Bayside Council spokesperson said its annual Christmas Carols in the Park would also not go ahead this year due to Covid.
“Council will instead use the funds from carols to create a series of smaller Christmas events, with carolling and festive sound and light installations at Bayside open space and shopping precincts,” the spokesperson said.
The Dendy Park event has been running 21 years and is one of the biggest nights on the Bayside calendar, drawing crowds of up to 20,000.
Mornington Peninsula Shire funds nine, small community carols events in different towns that draw individual crowds of between 500 and 1500.
The shire’s community activation manager Natasha Petkovic-Jeremic said because the council didn’t run the events, it would not be deciding if they would go ahead.
She said the groups were waiting for clarity from the state government before making a call.
“Given the size of the events, we have some level of confidence that they will be able to go ahead, and we’re working with organisers to help them manage their ability to adhere to guidelines,” she said.
In 2020 the council helped the groups co-ordinate a combined event – Carols by Headlights – at the Dromana Drive-In.
“While the event was a success, the community groups have said they would prefer to opt for a more traditional delivery this year,” Ms Petkovic-Jeremic said.
Not all groups elected to wait for more guidance from the state government before deciding the future of their Christmas events.
Mount Martha Cricket Club has cancelled its popular carols and fireworks event for the second consecutive year.
The club said it would now have to consider the future of the event, which was expensive to run.
City of Whittlesea chief executive Craig Lloyd said in light of the ongoing restrictions and the uncertainty surrounding live events, its carols celebration would again be online this year.
Two other councils in the east, Maroondah and Whitehorse, are yet to make a call on whether its carols will go ahead.
Manningham Council plans to proceed with its carols at Ruffey Lake Park in Doncaster on December 10.
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