Tara Murray
A Craigieburn man’s Christmas spirit has been dashed after Hume council asked him to take down some of his decorations and lights.
Aaron Cowman has had Christmas lights and decorations outside his place in Stoneleigh Place and on the nature strip for the last eight years. For the past three years, he’s donated money to the Starlight Foundation.
But this year, he has come afoul of the council.
Mr Cowman said the issue arose when a rubbish truck hit one of the sleepers outside his property causing damage to some of the decorations.
He complained to Hume council and later had a council road management officer leave a written message asking him to remove the sleepers and move the Christmas decorations from the nature strip.
The nature strip goes right up to the front of Mr Cowman’s property, with no footpath in front of the house.
“They broke some Christmas lights,” he said. “I didn’t want anything back from them, I just wanted to make them aware.
“It was only ever since I complained about the garbage truck they’ve told me to take them down. I’ve had no issues ever before.
“I love Christmas time and it’s my favourite time of year. It puts a smile on everyone’s face and after the year that we’ve had, we need things like this.”
Last year Mr Cowman raised $750 for the Starlight Foundation from his lights and decorations.
Hume sustainable infrastructure and services director Peter Waite said the council encouraged Christmas decorations, but not on nature strips.
“Christmas is a special time for many people in Hume – especially this year – and council has always encouraged residents to create a festive display in their front yards to bring the community together,” he said.
“This year, council invited businesses and residents to brighten up their streets with the Make Hume Shine Christmas Lights Competition. It’s been uplifting to see so many houses and businesses getting involved.
“The council encourages decorations to be placed safely in front yards, and not on areas such as footpaths or nature strips as pedestrians may trip and fall over them.”
