Bell Gardens goes big on Christmas with $136K decoration deal
BELL GARDENS, CA — Bell Gardens is going bigger—and more traditional—for Christmas this year.
The City Council voted 5-0 on Sept. 28 to approve a first-year contract worth up to $136,129 with Pacific Decorating Company.
The council also picked its look: traditional Christmas colors of red, green, and gold, rather than a blue, white, and silver “Winter Wonderland” theme. Decorations could include Christmas trees, candy canes, Santa Claus, stockings, wreaths, bows, and ornaments.
“I’m all on board with the red, green, and gold,” Mayor Miguel De La Rosa said, calling the traditional colors more lively.
The decorations will spread across City Hall, the Police Department, Veterans Park, Ford Park, the Dreamers Aquatics Center, Public Works, and the Neighborhood Youth Center. Buildings will be lined with warm white lights, while several locations will also get 5-foot illuminated wreaths with bows and nearby trees wrapped in lights. City Hall will also get a large 3D LED-lit holiday display on its front lawn.
The holiday cheer will stretch to the streets, too. Fifty center-median poles will be wrapped in ornamented garland and decorated with 24-inch red velvet bows. Thirteen entry monuments at six locations will get lighted garland, lights around nearby trees and a large illuminated decoration.
Councilmembers also called for a “Happy Holidays” message on two large LED displays stretching over Garfield Avenue, south of Florence Avenue, and Florence Avenue, west of Eastern Avenue.
The city is buying the decorations, with the first-year cost also covering installation, removal, and storage. Future years will cost less because Bell Gardens will already own the décor, with the city paying $64,838 in the second year and $66,719 in the third year for installation, removal, and storage.
The price is substantially higher than preliminary estimates discussed by the council in August. The final first-year price includes about $73,000 to purchase the decorations, nearly $60,000 in labor, and $3,500 for storage.
The new displays are required to be ready by Nov. 30.
