Red Deer’s 2020 Christmas Light Tour is underway, and it should be bigger and brighter than ever — if public interest is any indicator.
Red Deer resident Jim Elliott said he and his his son A.J. have received more calls this year from residents who want to add their homes to the tour — even those living in rural neighbourhoods outside the city.
As a result, Stone Ridge Estates, just east of Parkland Nursery off Hwy 11 east, will on the map for the first time this year. “There are two or three homes there that are just decorated beautifully,” said Elliott.
Those who want to gaze at Christmas yard displays closer to home can check out the perennially impressive Ohio Close, in Oriole Park. It’s been called Red Deer’s Candy Cane Lane since almost all of the homes on the street are festooned with lights.
Whether more people have time to decorate during the pandemic, or need to boost to their spirits, many area residents have been decking out their homes and yards earlier this year, he added.
A.J., who’s been out scouting, has recorded many new spectacular displays, and some annual ones that are especially festive this year.
Elliott said one of his favourites is the sparkling fairyland across 43rd Street from the Sproule Mountview IDA drugstore. The house, trees, fence — and even the rooftop — are twinkling with white lights.
The local father began assembling light tour maps of the city 17 years ago for the Aspire centre for children with special needs. But it proved so popular over the years that Elliott now provides free directions to the public, even though there are no longer chartered bus tours.
Here’s the first of what will eventually be five different maps to lead motorists, or pedestrians, to some of the best light displays in the city:
Route A:
Start at Donald School of Business (4909 49 Street), then go east on 49 Street, left on 47 Avenue, left on Ross Street, (circling around City Hall and the Park), right on Taylor Drive, right on Kerry Wood Drive, on to 54 Avenue, left on 60 Street (big snowmen), on to Oleander Drive, right on Overdown Drive, left on Ohio Close, continue around the Close, right on Overdown Drive, left on Oleander Drive, right on Taylor Drive, right on Kerry Wood Drive, right on Fir Street, left on Fern Road (lots of large inflatables), left on Kerry Wood Drive, right on Taylor Drive, left on 22 Street, on to Boyce Street, right on Barrett Drive, left on Bettenson Street, right on Baines Crescent (the two large trees and beautifully crafted), around the crescent, right on Bettenson Street, right on Barner Avenue, right on Baird Street, left on Berry Avenue, right on Barrett Drive (the classic two conveyor belts), right on Boyce Street, left on Barrett Drive.
Route B:
Start: Taylor Drive North, facing north just by the bridge, R on Kerry Wood Drive, L on 55 Street, R on 60 Avenue, R on 60 Street, L on Riverview Avenue, R on Hermary Street, R on Hill Crescent, L on Hermary Street, R on Halladay Avenue, L on Holmes Street, into 66 Street Close, R on 58 Avenue, R on Hermary Street, on to 63 Street, on to Horn Street, R on Humber Close, around the close, R on Horn Street, on to Oliver Street, R on Odell Green, continue L on Odell Green, L on Overdown Drive, L on Oates Green, continue R on the green, R on Oliver Street, L on Overdown Drive, L on Orwell Close, around the close, L on Oleander Drive, R on Ohio Close (almost the entire close is decorated… breathtaking), continue around the Close, R on Overdown Drive, on to Oleander Drive, L on Oxbow Street, R on Ogden Avenue, R on Ockley Close, around the close, R on Ogden Avenue, R on Oldbury Street, L on Oleander Drive, R on Taylor Drive, R on Kerry Wood Drive, R on Fir Street, L on Fern Road, L on Freemont Close, continue L on Freemont Close, R on Fairway Avenue, L on Fern Road, L on Kerry Wood Drive, L on Taylor Drive, R on 45 Street, R on 43 Street, R on Westgate Avenue, R on Wiltshire Boulevard, L on Welton Crescent, L on Wiltshire Boulevard, R on Westgate Avenue, R on West Park Crescent, R on 59 Avenue, on to Wishart Street, R on Wilson Crescent, L on Wilkins Green, counter-clockwise around the green, back to, L on Wilson Crescent, L on 57 Avenue, R on 36 Street, R on 55 Avenue, R on 35 Street, L on 57 Avenue, L on Wells Street, R on 55 Avenue, L on 32 Street, L on Spruce Drive to finish down the hill by Rotary Park.
Route C:
Start: Gaetz Avenue (50st) south side, facing south, L on Boyce Street, R on Barrett Drive (on the second entrance), R on Bettenson Street, L on Baines Crescent, around the crescent, L on Bettenson Street, L on Barrett Drive, L on Baird Street, R on Barrett Drive, travel all the way around to, R on Bettenson Street, L on Barrett Drive, L on Molly Bannister Drive, R on Bremner Avenue, R on 30 Street, L on 47 Avenue, R on 32 Street, R on Springfield Avenue, L on Spencer Street, R on Stirling Close, continue R on Stirling Close, R on Sherwood Crescent, L on Spencer Street, R on Springfield Avenue, L on 32 Street, R on Spruce Drive, R on 37 Street, R on 45 Avenue, L on 35 Street, R on 41 Avenue, R on 33 Street, R on 43 Avenue, R on 39 Street, R on 40 Avenue, L on McBride Crescent, R on Malcolm Crescent, R on McConnell Close, return to R on Malcolm Crescent, L on Mitchell Avenue, R on Martin Close, L on Munro Crescent, R on Mitchell Avenue, R on Michiels Street, L on Moseley Close, L on Michiels Street, L on McFarlane Avenue, R on the service road south side 39 Street, L on Maxwell Avenue, L on 39 Street, R on 40 Avenue, L on 44 Street, L on 41 Avenue, R on 42 Street, R on 42 Avenue, L on 44 Street, R on 43 Avenue, R on 47 Street, L on 38 Avenue, R on 50A Street, L on Michener Crescent, R on Michener Green, R on Michener Crescent, L on 38A Avenue, R on 50A Street, R on 40 Avenue, L on 42A Avenue, R on 53 Street, on to 53 Street Crescent, R on 44 Avenue, L on 55 Street, L on 45 Avenue, on to 50A Street, R on Ross Street to finish at City Hall and the Park.
Route D:
Start: 40 Avenue facing south, L on Allan Street, L on Addinell Avenue, R on Anders Street, L on Ayers Avenue, R on Anquetel Street, R on Ansett Crescent, R on Allan Street, L on Arb Close, around the close, L on Allan Street, L on Allsop Avenue, R on Alton Street, R on Alton Close, around the close, back to, L on Alton Street, R on Allsop Drive, L on Austin Drive, on to Inglewood Drive, L on Illingworth Close, counter-clockwise around the close, back to L on Inglewood Dr, on to Adamson Avenue, R on Assinger Avenue, R on Addington Drive, R on Avery Street, R on 30 Avenue, L on 22 Street, L on Lalor Drive, R on Lazaro Close, counter-clockwise around the close, R on Lalor Drive, L on Lindman Avenue, L on Lancaster Drive, L on Lister Crescent, R on Lockwood Avenue, R on Logan Close, counter-clockwise around the close, R on Lockwood Avenue, R on Lamont Close, around the Close, R on Lockwood Avenue, on to Douglas Avenue, L on Dixon Crescent, counter-clockwise around the crescent, continue to R on Dixon Avenue, R on Dunlop Street, R on Dunning Crescent, R on Depalme Street, R on Douglas Avenue, L on Duston Street, R on Deschner Close, counter-clockwise around the close, L on Dynes Street, R on Deschner Close, L on Duston Street, R on Duffield Avenue, R on Dowler Street, on to Dodge Avenue, L on Dempsey Street, R on Doan Avenue, R on Doran Crescent, on to Dickenson Crescent, around the crescent close, continue back to, L on Davison Drive, to finish at Ross (50th) Street.
Route E:
Start: Facing east by the Maryview School on 39 Street, L on Edgington Close, around the close, R on Service Road north side of 39 Street, R on 35A Avenue, R on 35 Avenue, R on 44 Street, on to Excell Street, R on Edwards Crescent, R on Edwards Close, back to L on Edwards Crescent, R on Excell Street, R on Ellenwood Drive, L on Eline Street, L on Elwell Avenue, R on Elliot Crescent, around the crescent, on to Eline Street, L on Ellenwood Drive, L on 39 Street, L on 30 Avenue, L on Ellenwood Drive, R on Erickson Drive, R on Eastman Crescent, L on Everitt Crescent, L on Eastman Crescent, R on Erickson Drive, on to Cornett Drive, L on Clark Crescent, continue on the crescent, R on Crawford Street, around the street close, L on Clark Crescent, L on Castle Crescent, continue to L on Castle Crescent Close, around the close, R on Castle Crescent, L on Clark Crescent, L on Cornett Drive, R on Clark Crescent, L on Chappell Drive, R on Carpenter Street, R on Cornett Drive, on to Rollis Street, L on Ray Avenue, L on the second entrance of Richards Crescent, R on Russell Crescent, L on Rutherford Drive, L on 55 Street, L on 30 Avenue, L on Rollis Street, L on Rutherford Drive, R on Ramsay Avenue, L on Rutledge Crescent, L on Randolph Street, L on Robinson Crescent, L on Reinholdt Avenue, L on Reichley Street, L on 55 Street, R on 55 Street, on to Highway 11, R on Range Road 265, R on 38254 Range Road 265, around the road, L on Range Road 265, L on Highway 11, R to finish at the Parkland Nurseries and Garden Center (Ice Sculptures).
Highlight of the Light Tour include:
Red Deer City Hall and Park
Johnstone: Jade Pl, Jones Cr, Jordan Pkwy (2), Jaspar Cr (2), Jenner Cr (2).
Kentwood: Kilburn Crescent, Kendrew Drive, Kirkland Drive, Kentwood Drive.
Glendale: Glendale Boulevard, Gunn Street, 71 Street.
Normandeau: Nyberg Avenue, Noble Avenue, 76 Street, Nordegg Crescent, Norton Avenue.
Riverside Meadows: 60 Street, 60 Avenue.
Highland Green: Hill Crescent, Halladay Avenue, 66 Street Close, 63 Street, Humber Close.
Oriole Park: Oleander Dr, Ohio Cl, Orwell Cl, Oxbow St, Odell Gr, Oates Gr, Oakley Cl.
Fairview: Fern Road, Freemont Crescent, Fairway Avenue. West Park: Wells St, Wilkins Gr, Wilson Cr, Welton Cr, 35 St, 36 St.
Bower: Baines Crescent, Baird Street, Barrett Drive (2, east & south).
Sunnybrook: Spencer Street, Sherwood Crescent (Corner), Stirling Close.
Deer Park: Dixon Crescent, Dunning Crescent, Deschner Close, Dynes Street (2), Dodge Avenue (3), Doran Crescent, Dickenson Crescent.
Eastview: Edgington Close, 35A Avenue, Edwards Crescent, Excell Street, Eline Street, Elwell Avenue, Elliot Crescent, Ellenwood Drive, Everitt Crescent, Terrace Park.
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