The Danbury City Council has authorized spending $65,000 from the contingency account to purchase new Christmas lights for City Center.  The goal is to emulate how Main Street was decorated in the 1950s with lights strung from buildings on one side, across to the other. 

Main Street circa 1948 from Wooster Square looking towards St. Peters Church

(Photo: Danbury Museum and Historical Society)

The lights will be strung starting at the intersection of White Street and Main Street going down to Main and Bank Street.  There would be eight strands, 200 feet from each other.

Mayor Mark Boughton says the LED lights will save the City money because they will be on a timer system.  Right now there is no timer for the lights near the Library.  They will be commercial grade lights with a useful life of 15 years.

Boughton says this idea was discussed five or six years ago, but the quote was $400,000. 

He commended new City Center Director PJ Prunty for talking with building owners, getting their permission and finding out that there already are cables strung from most of them.  Prunty also talked with electrician about how to power this and where can electricity be drawn from.