Council on Parade! Good News from the Borough

Road work will not hinder Friday’s event

The parade must go on.

Despite roadwork on Route 501 by the state, Lititz Borough’s annual Independence Day Parade is set for Friday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m.

Lititz Borough Council was assured that PennDOT’s resurfacing project is not expected to impact the parade, which is part of the 199th Fourth of July festivities in Lititz. Borough public works manager Andy Garner noted that several intersections along South Broad Street are still torn up at the sidewalks. He doesn’t expect that to be a major problem.

When the resurfacing project was announced earlier this year, there were concerns that Lititz events, like Fourth of July and the Rotary Craft Show, would be affected. Borough council members have been pleased with the way the project is progressing, and how the roadway is smooth enough to have the parade.

The parade route has been changed somewhat, but not because of roadwork. Police Chief Kerry Nye reported that the updated route was designed to avoid the looping effect when the starters end up following the last marchers too closely. By making the route a little longer, Nye wants to reduce the confusion when the parade overlaps itself.

The parade is sponsored by the Lititz Lion’s Club, and it starts at North Broad and Kleine streets in front of Wilbur. The parade then heads south on Broad to East Marion Street, then to South Locust, looping around to East Main Street and to the square at Broad and Main. Then marchers will finish up where they started. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., and following Friday’s parade there will be entertainment in Lititz Springs Park with Flamin’ Dick and the Hot Rods.

Halloween Parade

Another big Lititz event is being changed this year, or rather, changed back. Borough council approved a request from the Lititz Lions Club to switch the annual Halloween Parade back to being an evening event, set for Oct. 24.

For the past two years, the parade was held on a Saturday morning, for safety reasons.

Before that, there had been some issues with drivers cutting through barriers at Cedar and East Main streets, where the parade was being staged and children were waiting to march. So, in 2014, the parade was changed to a daytime event.

Somehow that didn’t quite seem “Halloween-y” enough. Witches and ghosts marching around in the sunshine wasn’t very scary. Parade-goers overwhelmingly commented that Halloween should be in the dark. So, the Lititz Lions Club approached Lititz Borough to see if the parade could be switched back to nighttime.

Nye said that the Lion’s Club is making arrangements to have professional lighting at that intersection and all along the parade route to make it safer. Christine Sensenich of borough council added that business owners and residents will be asked to turn on their porch lights to add some light to the parade.

“I think people in Lititz want a nighttime Halloween parade,” said Nye, adding that he thinks the Lions Club and the borough will be able to overcome safety concerns with better lighting and security.

Borough council also approved three other requests for special events and activities. Two neighborhood block parties were OKed, one for National Night Out on Fourth Avenue Aug. 8, and the other for a Spruce Street party Sept. 3.

Also, St. James Church got the nod for its Lititz 5K for Life run and walk on Oct. 22.

Junior Council member term extended

Junior council representative Emma Jo Phillips was invited to continue her term as the non-voting youth member of Lititz Borough Council. Her term was expected to finish up this month, with past junior council members serving six-month terms.

Phillips sent a letter to borough council asking to serve for a full year, since she was enjoying it so much and learning a lot about local government. Council agreed and Phillips will now be serving until the end of 2016.

Phillips is the 10th junior council member on Lititz Borough Council. She is also the youngest junior council member, having started when she was just 16 and a junior at Lititz Christian School. Now she is heading into her senior year and is interested in going to Penn State to study forensics.

“If no one else applies, I would be happy to just stay on,” said Phillips, adding that she plans to attend summer meetings.

Mayor Tim Snyder commented that, “It’s refreshing to see a young person so eager to learn about the workings of government.”

Laura Knowles is a freelance reporter who covers the Lititz Borough Council beat for the Record Express. She welcomes reader feedback and story tips at lknowles21@gmail.com.

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