PLAYFORD Council has put off planning its 2020 Christmas carols as it prepares to host a downsized event in December.
The council’s Civic Events Committee met last week to discuss this year’s event, which is scheduled for December 5.
Last year’s iteration attracted around 3500 people to Elizabeth’s Fremont Park, where the carols are currently planned to be held in 2020.
A report tabled at the committee meeting stated only 1250 would be able to attend Fremont Park under current COVID-19 restrictions.
In order to increase the possible crowd, the report recommended finding a larger venue, such as X Convenience Oval at Elizabeth, to allow for adequate social distancing.
“It is important to note that the delivery of community carols as a large scale event will face risk, financial impacts and will limit the maximum capacity of community members to 1250 if held in its current form at Fremont Park,” the report read.
“The administration has therefore explored an alternative location for community carols at X Convenience Oval, the home of Central District Football Club.
“This would accommodate larger crowd numbers, utilise existing infrastructure in order to meet State Government requirements and can be delivered within budget.”
Committee members voted to delay a decision on where to hold the carols until September, when the pandemic situation is likely to be different.
According to the report, organising temporary fencing, manned entry and exit points, extra security and separate aisles to encourage social distancing would likely see the event’s budget blow out from $90,250 to $108,560.
Central Districts Football Club has shown “keen interest” in hosting the carols and its home ground would “comfortably” have space for 3500 attendees.
The oval already has a State Government-approved COVID-19 management plan in place due to hosting South Australian National Football League matches throughout the winter, which would allow council to deliver the event inside its budget.
So far, only the South Australian Police Band has been booked for this year’s carols, with no other entertainment currently locked in to perform.
“While the administration acknowledges holding one large-scale event can carry risk of cancellation should COVID-19 cases spike in South Australia, the administration is exploring other innovative ways to deliver a sense of pride, connection and festive cheer with the community should restrictions reverse and carols be forced to cancel,” the report read.
