Community rallies to help keep holiday display in Gananoque, Ont. plugged in

The Candy Cane Lane in Gananoque, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)

GANANOQUE, ONT. -

A holiday display in one eastern Ontario town has been a hit for residents, and with a name like 'Candy Cane Lane', it's exactly what you'd expect.

"We wanted something outdoors that people could celebrate and see in case there was another lockdown," said Ray Stedman, Treasurer for the Gananoque Chamber of Commerce.

"There's 34 candy canes through the Sculpture Park (Confederation Park), and there's actually 33 sponsored trees that businesses in town each sponsored to be lit up," Stedman said.

Many volunteers from the town, the chamber and other committees helped get the display ready for the first time, coinciding with the Festival of Lights on Dec. 3.

"We worked through hail, sleet, rain, torrential pour downs rains for a week out here," Stedman smiled.

However, just after the trail opened, organizers noticed extension cords we're going missing, ruining the display.

"To come out here four days later and find half of it unlit, and not a problem where someone tripped over an extension cord and unplugged something but, that they were actually stolen," added Stedman. "We found a very sad situation."

"Very deflated," said Jennifer Baril, tourism coordinator with the Town of Gananoque. "The volunteers worked really hard to set this all up and we were really excited and exhausted and then to find that it wasn't appreciated, it really hurt."

Someone stole a heavy duty extension cord like this one from the Candy Cane Lane display in Gananoque, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)

While the cheaper 10-foot cords were untouched, thieves targeted the longer, more valuable heavy-duty ones that run in the $100 range.

"For a very tight budget for a project like this, $300-$400 gone off your budget, it was pretty devastating to us," Stedman said.

The news, upsetting residents like Debbie Donaldson, who worked on the trail leading up to the opening.

"We wanted everybody to be happy and we need that right now," she said. "We really need happiness and joy and laughter right now."

So Stedman decided to make a post on social media, thanking the volunteers for all they've done, and highlighting the issue of the stolen cords.

And the community responded.

"Within hours all of the extension cords were replaced by one individual and a business in town," Stedman said. "It's been overwhelming."

"There's still good in the world," added Donaldson. "There's still wonderful people in Gananoque for sure."

Ray Stedman puts the star on the Christmas Tree while Jennifer Baril watches on Candy Cane Lane in Gananoque, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)

Although another cord has disappeared this week, the team says it won't deter them from keeping this year's display plugged in.

"Everywhere I've been, I've heard nothing but great comments, everybody loves this, they are so excited," Baril said.

"Taxpayer dollars go into funding events like this. We've had very few events because of COVID as you know, and all the volunteers, the committees, the groups really wanted to make this festival of lights special for people and they did," she added.

"After the big windstorm on Saturday and have to basically rebuild everything, people have been coming by and thanking us for what we've been doing in here and everything and they are excited to see it," Stedman said.

"The town has already backed next years and put it in their budget so we will be growing the project," he added.

Candy Cane Lane is open to the public free of cost until Jan. 4.