Every Christmas season, the city of Hamilton Ont. puts on events in the core of the city (Gore Park). For decades it was a kids train that went around half of the park, with the other half a reindeer pen. With vending machines that you could get feed for them. Both of these would draw in big crowds of people, but animal rights activists brought that to an end in the early 2000s. They were replaced with a large Ferris wheel, which was also a big hit! But after our last election in 2022, this again changed. in 2023 it was another carnival ride (I don't know the name of it) and this year it is a Merry Go Round.
A very bare bones, bottom of the barrel old merry go round. The city spent the least amount on the celebration as possible without flat out ending it. Despite raising taxes at astronomical levels (10% property and 10% water in one year and plans of continuing this trend for the next 4 years). You can also see a make shift tent made out of a tarp literally 4 feet away from the ride. That is home to a drug addict that openly uses right there and it has been reported has yelled at kids on the ride. He has been there since the ride opened on Dec 6th and nothing is being done about it. This is because the city is taking the compassionate approach to the the drug crisis (injection sites, not removing them from where they set up camp and countless city services). I watched several police officers walk right by this and do nothing.
Our mayor and city council are all extremely far left politically and are proud of being "woke". So these types of things won't be changing in the near future unfortunately.
Despite not being able to celebrate like we usually have, it is Christmas and we will always have ways to make is festive, with the city or not.