By Jessica Anstice
The Narre Warren residents behind the scenes of the Hugo Court Christmas lights have announced the tradition will come to an end.
With thousands of visitors from across the region and beyond mesmerised by the lights each year; it has become too big.
The Hugo Court Christmas Lights Facebook page informed the community of their decision on 13 October, stating that due to the number of visitors the court attracts each year it is classed as an event.
To run an event, they must supply traffic management and public liability insurance.
The post stated, “As we do the lights for fun, for us to pay these costs it is no longer fun so unfortunately Hugo Court Christmas Lights is no longer. There will be no lights this year at all.”
In a post following, the Facebook page wrote, “To organize everything that we now have to do as an event is very time consuming, we would have to basically form a committee, creating an official group to be able to apply for the insurances and to handle the money side of things.
“We are all extremely busy and just don’t have the time to organize all of the requirements.
“Another reason is out of respect for our neighbours in the surrounding streets, they have to put up with not being able to get into their properties, noise, rubbish, people parking on their lawns even people urinating on their front lawns.”
The residents of Hugo Court received much support from the community, along with idea on ways in which they could keep the tradition alive.
One user suggested the neighbours create a GoFundMe page and another suggested the neighbours could take it in turns by only decorating one house per year.
Resident Aaron Kogtevs was supported by 350 reactions on this comment which stated that the land between the road and up to and including the footpath is owned by the council.
“Public liability is covered already by the local council. The road where cars park is owned by Vic Roads,” he said.
“Insurance for these is covered for the vehicles by their individual car insurance and for pedestrians by their individual car registration.”
Mr Kogtevs responded to the Hugo Court Christmas Lights post with, “You do not advertise the lights nor do you charge admission.
“Provided you don’t invite people onto your properties (which you don’t) then the liability is not yours.
“I would definitely seek legal advice as I don’t believe the council can stop you individually from putting up lights.
“Whether people walk your particular street is none of your concern.”
Mr Kogtevs encouraged the residents of Hugo Court to “Please fight this”.
City of Casey Events Team have been actively working with the residents of Hugo Court over the past few months to assist them in establishing their annual Christmas lights event, due to issues experienced last year, which resulted in police shutting the event down.
“Last year, traffic management was the main cause of concern,” City of Casey’s Active Communities manager Callum Pattie said.
“In addition to visitors not abiding by parking restrictions and parking across other properties driveways, people consuming alcohol, public urination, litter, noise and disruptions to other properties adjacent to Hugo Court.
“Earlier this year, council officers distributed a survey to residents in and around Hugo Court to ask them about last year’s event.”
121 properties returned the survey and stated that they were in support of the event, however approximately 80 percent of responses said that they had encountered issues as a direct result of the event.
“The Events Team have been working with the residents to explore potential traffic management solutions, training for interested volunteers in traffic management practices and potential ways to run the event with the assistance of local community groups,” Mr Pattie said.
“The residents of Hugo Court determined last week that they did not wish to proceed in running an event this year.
“The City of Casey is disappointed that the actions of some visitors last year has now resulted in the residents not wishing to proceed with what was considered a great community event.”
