LAKELAND, Fla. — Hundreds of residents did not want the annual Lakeland Christmas Parade to go around Lake Morton because it would endanger the swans. So, they signed a petition to let the city know.
“A little over 600. Honestly, I didn’t expect as many people to sign it. I didn’t expect it to get around as fast as it did,” said Sally Bendele.
Bendele started a Change.org petition to protect the beloved swans around Lake Morton. When ABC Action News spoke to Bendele in October, she was devastated that the parade, which draws upwards of 40,000 spectators, would be circling the home of precious wildlife.
“We got a bunch of geese, ducks, all different kinds of birds here. So many different kinds of wildlife,” Bendele said.
Roadwork forced the City of Lakeland to detour the parade route to loop around the lake, but now the city is reversing course.
“The health and vitality of the swans is important, but really, this was a business decision based on cost,” said Kevin Cook, spokesperson for the City of Lakeland.
Cook said the plan to protect the swans was to block paradegoers from standing on the lake side of Lake Morton Drive but to do that would cost the city around $20,000.
“The cost to put barricades, extra police officers, and things of that nature around Lake Morton was cost prohibitive and far outweighed the benefits of having the parade route go around Lake Morton,” Cook said.
Some people who live and work near the lake are pleased with the decision for reasons beyond the swans.
“To have the parade around Lake Morton would be a pain for me personally because to get out of work at 5 o’clock would be practically impossible because everybody is going to be already staged for the parade,” said Nancy Muir.
The Christmas parade route will stay the same downtown, but instead of looping around Lake Morton Drive, it will turn at Walnut Street.
“I’m really happy that our city has decided to make this change," said Bendele.
The parade will take place on December 7. It will feature over 120 participants, including floats, marching bands, and decorated trailers.
