By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Yukon police are seeking the public’s help after the city’s popular Christmas lights attraction was vandalized.
Christmas In the Park was vandalized on Friday night, Nov. 23 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend at the City Park complex. Some displays were broken, wires were cut and cords were unplugged.
A 100-foot tunnel on the dam between the Yukon Community Center and Chisholm Trail Park collapsed after vandals took snippers and cut the tunnel’s wires.
“It’s really dangerous,” Yukon Parks Superintendent Jason Worden said. “That tunnel could have fallen on someone and really hurt them.”
The vandals also cut wires on the “Marry Me” display and a gingerbread house display.
New penguin decorations at a photo “selfie” station were destroyed as well.
City crews have worked hard to repair the damage, officials said.
Vandalism has not previously been a major problem at Christmas In the Park, according to Worden.
“We really haven’t had any major issues in the past,” Worden said. “We’ve had the random cutting the extension cord, but nothing to this extent.”
Vandals have twice broken into a concession stand and food truck this year.
“Hopefully we can get all these kids caught,” Worden said of the suspected culprits. “The ones that don’t get caught, maybe they’ll stop (and) maybe their parents will start keeping their eyes on their kids.”
Anyone who sees suspicious activities in the park is urged to call the Yukon Police Department’s non-emergency number, 354-2553.
The annual Christmas light display is free and open to the public from 6-10 p.m. nightly through New Year’s Eve.
The drive-through holiday lights extravaganza features 4 million lights and 425 displays spread across 100 acres at the interconnecting Chisholm Trail Park, Freedom Trail Park and Yukon City Park.
