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Citrus Heights Tree Lighting: 20th annual ceremony set for Dec. 1

About 1,200 people attended the Citrus Heights Tree Lighting ceremony in 2014, the last year the event was held at the old city hall location before it was demolished. // CH Sentinel

Updated Nov. 26, 4:21 p.m.–
The 20th annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Citrus Heights will take place on Dec. 1, outside the newly completed city hall on Fountain Square Drive.

Monica Alejandrez, assistant to the city manager, said the 2016 event will feature the lighting of a newly planted 22-foot-tall coastal redwood tree, along with the usual mini train rides, light refreshments, and photos with Santa. The Citrus Heights Community Marching Band is also confirmed to be performing at the event.

New this year will be the venue, held for the first time at the new city hall, whereas prior ceremonies were held at the old hall near the corner of Fountain Square Drive and Greenback Lane. Last year, after the old hall was demolished to pave way for a new medical building, the ceremony was temporarily held in front of the community center.

Alejandrez said city records show the first tree lighting ceremony was held in front of city hall in 1997, the same year Citrus Heights officially became a city. From 1998 to 2002, she said a ceremonial tree was located between the city’s administrative and general services buildings, and then in 2003 a space was made to plant a new tree at the corner of Greenback Lane and Fountain Square Drive.

About 1,200 people attended the city’s tree lighting in 2014, the final year the ceremony was held at the old hall’s location.

Although the annual event typically features appearances from the entire city council, Mayor Jeannie Bruins said she will be out of town and will hand over the ceremony responsibilities to Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey. Outgoing councilwoman Sue Frost said she will also be unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts with her new position as Sacramento County supervisor.

Tree lighting event sponsors this year include the City of Citrus Heights, Republic Services, and the Sunrise Mall. Parking will be available at city hall, as well as overflow parking at the community center and the lot adjacent to the police department, according to city staff.

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Event info:
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016
Location:
City Hall
6360 Fountain Square Dr.

November 23, 2016
Citrus Heights News Briefs: tree lit, city hall update, water use

A crowd gathered outside the Citrus Heights Community Center Thursday night to celebrate the lighting of the City’s Christmas tree. //CHSentinel

Highlights from a few Citrus Heights happenings this week include walls being raised at the new city hall building, the City’s official Christmas tree being lit, and latest water conservation figures being released for the area.

Citrus Heights’ Christmas tree lit during ceremony
Not dampened by Thursday rain showers, hundreds gathered outside the Citrus Heights Community Center as Mayor Sue Frost led a cheerful crowd in a countdown before the City’s official Christmas tree was lit up for the season. Free hot cider, cocoa and cookies were served up inside, followed by performances from the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band and several cultural dance teams from the region.

CHWD water savings continue to beat regional, state averages
A state report on water use released this week showed the Citrus Heights Water District reporting 29 percent water savings during October — beating the statewide average of 22 percent and the regional average of 27 percent. Although still beating its cumulative 32 percent savings requirement by five points, local conservation totals have been slipping since the summer, as there are less opportunities for outdoor water savings in colder months. CHWD reported a 42.5 percent drop in July, 38.3 percent in August, and a much lower 29.1 percent drop in September.

Walls raised on new city hall project
The new Citrus Heights city hall building took a big visual step forward this week, as a construction crane raised walls for the new 35,000-square-foot facility. The project was approved in March of this year, with an expected completion date towards the end of summer 2016.
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Construction crews aided by a crane raise a cement wall for the new Citrus Heights city hall building this week. // Photo, City of Citrus Heights

December 4, 2015
Citrus Heights Tree Lighting set for Dec. 3 at temporary site

Christmas tree decor, stock photo. // CHSentinel

The 19th annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Citrus Heights will be held at a temporary site in front of the Community Center on Dec. 3 this year, pending anticipated completion of a new city hall building next summer.

Although a larger, 30-foot tall tree was delivered two weeks ago, Community Center Technician Michele Saario said a smaller tree was brought in last week after several technical difficulties were encountered.

This year’s festivities will begin with a 6:30 p.m. lighting ceremony on Thursday outside the Community Center, followed by free refreshments, cookie decorating, train rides, and pictures with Santa inside the Center. According to the City’s web site, there will also be special performances by the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band, and dance performances by the Ukrainian Heritage Club of Northern California and Folsom-based Aradhana Arts.

In the past, tree lighting ceremonies were held around a once-permanent tree rooted on the old city hall grounds at the corner of Greenback Lane and Fountain Square Drive. A location change was required this year due to the old tree being cut down when city hall was demolished, in preparation for a new medical building to be built at the corner.

[From July: Citrus Heights leaders break ground on new city hall project]

According to Saario, future tree lighting ceremonies will be held at the new city hall being constructed near the corner of Fountain Square Drive and Stock Ranch Road, where a permanent tree will be planted. She said finding a temporary site for this year’s tree lighting was a “challenging” experience, with the location changing several times due to traffic concerns from police and underground wiring outside the Community Center not allowing a hole to be dug for the original, larger tree.

Police Lt. Jason Russo said various proposed tree locations had encountered different problems, with a primary concern coming from trying to avoid blocking off Fountain Square Drive due to the nearby Post Office and Sam’s Club each having night deliveries. He said the final plan is for crowds to gather across the street from the Community Center in the police department parking lot, with police closing the road briefly during the actual lighting of the tree. The road will then re-open after attendees move inside the Center for the remaining activities and performances.

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Russo also said donation bins for unwrapped toys and food will be set up after the ceremony to go towards the police department’s annual Holiday Referral Program, which seeks to help local families who experienced a hardship over the past year.

[Related: Holiday police program benefits in-need Citrus Heights families]

The annual tree lighting drew over 1,000 people last year, and is sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights, along with Sunrise Mall and Marketplace, and Republic Services.
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Event info:
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015
Location:
Police Department and Citrus Heights Community Center
6315 and 6300 Fountain Square Dr.

November 30, 2015