On a cold and wet December afternoon, Santa warmed the hearts of shoppers and passersby with a surprise visit to Hastings Street in Burnaby. Saturday, Dec. 19, the Heights Merchants Association, together with the Burnaby Firefighters at Firehall No. 5 welcomed the big guy in the red suit. After he parked his sleigh at the Firehall, he climbed aboard the 1950s vintage firetruck and took a roll down the main street to wave hello to everyone who was there.
The pop-up visit was organized by the Heights Merchants Association as a way to bring some cheer to the neighbourhood during what is a challenging time for many.
Why the secrecy?
"We knew that old Saint Nick coming all the way from the North Pole would get a lot of attention, and right now, with all the COVID safety regulations, it was best that we didn't gather a large crowd," explained Isabel Kolic, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association.
"A lot of people are shopping and running errands on Hastings Street on a December afternoon, so we knew he would have plenty of people to say hello to, just the same."
After a tour both east and west in the 2 km district, Santa waved goodbye one last time, then was driven back to Firehall No.5 where his reindeer were patiently waiting to whisk him back to his workshop. Santa and the HMA both would like to thank the Burnaby Firefighters for their kind chauffeuring and the City of Burnaby for allowing Santa to make a pop-up visit.
For more photographs, visit @BurnabyHeights on Instagram and Facebook.
