Coming Today: A More Festive Downtown

Today's the day. Not only will huge snowflakes be hanging over drivers and pedestrians on Bloomfield Avenue as of 9:30 a.m., but a lot more holiday lights should be functioning properly in the downtown area.

In addition, Montclair will offer free two-hour holiday parking and meter bagging from December 9 through December 26. But Montclair township officials emphasize that the two-hour parking limit will be strictly enforced.

Luther Flurry, executive director of the Montclair Center Business Improvement District (BID), said Thursday that the 48-by-6.5-foot snowflake decoration will be hung today, Dec. 9, on a cable that runs from the Hinck Building, where the Clairidge Theater is, to the former PNC bank building across the street.

He said the BID has never before placed holiday decor over Bloomfield—so this will be a first.

In addition, Flurry said that Public Service Electric & Gas has promised that most lights will be fixed today in Montclair Center.

Earlier this week, Flurry told the Montclair Times that about 25 percent of the Christmas lights his staff put up don't work since they're plugged into light poles and outlets that haven't functioned since at least October.

He said that BID has been trying to get into the holiday spirit by introducing "Festive Fridays," as well as putting out decorations and stringing up a ton of Christmas lights in the trees along district streets.

"PSE&G expects to have most fixed by [Friday]," Flurry told Patch on Thursday.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the huge snowflake decoration, Flurry noted recently that BID will be providing $1 million of liability insurance to the township, Essex County, and the owners of the buildings.

He said he hopes that the same decor will be used for decades to come in an effort to make the downtown area more festive.

For more information on Montclair Center go here.

So what do you think of the new decoration? Tell us in the comments section below!