With its low self-esteem and high urban blight, Hartford is the ultimate underdog city. Sad City Hartford documents the joys, sorrows and eccentricities of New England's Rising Star.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Helen Ubinas On Festival Of Lights

Following the handy Sad City Dating Guide, Hakaan was recently able to procure his third ever date. What could be a better date idea than a stroll through the magnificent Bushnell Park Festival of Lights?

 Having been out of town for a while, we were unaware of the poor reviews the park had received. After an underwhelming walk, the female companion mumbled an excuse, made a hasty retreat, and apparently has had her phone disconnected. Distraught, Hakaan is unable to write on the topic, instead we can only provide some quotes from the Hartford Courant's Helen Ubinas' excellent article.



"Without a doubt, it was embarrassing to see Hartford fail to do something as basic as putting on a holiday light show.
But more disappointing than the lack of lights were the lame excuses the display sparked from city officials and festival organizers."



"They were worried about squirrels chewing through the strings of lights, about electrocuting birds.
Not to mention possibly damaging the historic trees."


"When I called him about the lights, he asked if he could stop by the office to talk. Segarra insisted his initial plan was to have a winter festival in the park with a skating rink where city kids could skate for free. It snowballed into a light display, he said, when he reluctantly agreed to include lights because of decreased funding for the Constitution Plaza holiday display."



"Damage control is in overdrive now - everyone's insisting they are going to do it up big when they open the skating rink in the park Dec. 10.
That's great. I just hope the disappointed visitors give Hartford another chance to do the festivities up right."

We couldn't have said it better. As for the dating scene, dates are like the Olympics, they always seem to come around every couple of years.

2 comments:

  1. Hold your head up high Hakaan!

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  2. Disappoointed or not, I am glad to see the City trying new things for its residents. No - not the suburbanites who shuffled downtown for an hour to see a "light show" - but the local kids and families who can skate in the park and feel safe being there. Go Mayor Segarra! Let the Bah Humbuggers stay home!

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