Tribune/Dan McGee -
With the help of two cranes from Young Electric Sign Co., the Sparks Christmas tree is hoisted into place Monday. The lights to be placed on the tree this week will be turned on around 5 p.m. Saturday.
"It's a beauty this year," Kelley said. "It's one of the better ones we've gotten. Every couple of years we get a real nice one and this is one of those."
The tree from Sparks' sister city, Garibaldi, Ore., arrived early Monday morning, with branches tied down for the chilly, windy ride on the trailer and giving off a nice pine scent marking the return of Christmas.
The Douglas fir is the largest Christmas tree Sparks has ever had at a total of 64 feet, Kelley said, who's been part of the Sparks Christmas tree tradition for "20-something years." But after being put into a hole in the ground, the measures 58 feet in height from ground level to top.
"It was so long on the trailer, the driver actually got stopped by the (Nevada Highway Patrol) on the way over" and was almost cited for it, Kelley said.
"If he weren't doing this for charity, he probably would have gotten in trouble," he said.
Terry Freeman picked up the tree in Oregon and drove 640 miles for Sparks' special Christmas present.
The rest of the week will be spent decorating the fir in LED lights that will use 15 amps per hour, an improvement made in recent years from 300 amps to help the city save money. The same 5,000 lights and ornaments will be used as well. Kelley said there was no room in the budget this year to buy any new ornaments, but last year's purchases were good enough to make do for this year.
The tree needs two cranes to be lifted from the trailer and maneuvered into the ground. Young Electric Sign Co. (YESCO) and the city of Reno contributed cranes, boom trucks and crew members to help the Sparks Parks and Recreation workers.
"My favorite part is watching it go up in the air," Kelley said, "and that's also the scariest part because the pressure on the tree could snap. I always have my fingers crossed when it comes to the midpoint (between the two cranes). These are guys are so good, there's nothing to worry about but I still worry."
Kelley called the YESCO crew members the "Santa Clauses" of the tree installment.
Rick Lavin, an apprentice on one of the YESCO trucks, said the company still uses one of its oldest trucks equipped with hydraulics to help with the tree.
"We're more than happy to do it," Lavin said, describing the annual event that is becoming a tradition for YESCO.
Jesse Hon of Sparks Parks and Rec has participated in the Christmas tree installment for the last four years.
"We're pretty excited, knowing that people see it from the freeway and there'll be quite a few people here for the parade," Hon said.
A tree lighting ceremony will be held on Saturday at 5 p.m. as a kick-off to the Sparks Hometowne Christmas celebration on Victorian Square this weekend. Kelley will be there front and center with Sparks Mayor Geno Martini to see the fruit of the Sparks department's efforts.
"I like to flip the switch," Kelley said. "I know the mayor will do it, but I like to be right there."
Post a Comment