Durango’s Christmas tree in Buckley Park lights back up

Friday, Dec 21, 2018 4:50 AM

Strong winds last week likely culprit

Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District, pictured here next to Santa, said the Christmas tree in Buckley Park went dark after being damaged by high winds last week.

Durango Herald file

Crews with La Plata Electric Association fixed the lights Thursday on Durango’s community Christmas tree, which were damaged by strong winds last week.

Jonathan Romeo/Durango Herald

Strong winds last week apparently knocked out the lights to Durango’s community Christmas tree in Buckley Park. La Plata Electric Association fixed the lights on Thursday.

Jonathan Romeo/Durango Herald

No, the Grinch didn’t run off with the lights on the city of Durango’s Christmas tree in Buckley Park, which had been dark for the past week.

Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District, said it appears strong winds on the night of Dec. 12 damaged the bottom half strand of the 130-foot-tall tree in downtown Durango, causing it to go out.

On Thursday, crews with La Plata Electric Association and Eagle Crane were able to make a quick fix. Walsworth said the strand had become unplugged.

“I think what maybe happened is that the wind was blowing so hard, something came apart up there,” he said.

Walsworth was out of town the past few days, so the tree sat dark and idle. But he assessed the situation when he got back Wednesday.

The Christmas tree was lit Nov. 23 and stays on until after Snowdown, which ends in the first week of February.

“That’s personally when I think the holidays end,” Walsworth said.

jromeo@durangoherald.com