'They're dictating how I choose to decorate my home'

PUSLINCH – Shawn Gusz just wants to put on a Christmas display to make people happy. The Township of Puslinch is fine with that, as long as it isn't a nuisance to others in the neighbourhood.

But a compromise reached on what in the past have been hugely popular Christmas and Halloween displays outside his Fox Run Drive home now also seems to have been compromised.

Gusz applied for a permit under a new bylaw to hold the event this Christmas, as he has for six years, agreeing it would be smaller than previous years and he would not advertise the event to try and keep crowds down.

Following a failed appeal of that permit, Gusz agreed to a new measure the township wants, requiring him to hire paid duty police officers to help manage the traffic flow outside the event, which is set to run three hours a night from Dec. 19 to Dec. 26.

Gusz is prepared to eat the cost of the paid duty officers, which could be as much around $4,000. But he says it could be difficult to actually find pay duty officers on some of those dates. And if he's not allowed to advertise the event, how can he let people know if it ends up not happening certain nights.

"I'm not sure where it's going," Gusz said in an interview. "If they want me to bring in paid police officers, I can do it. It's not going to break the bank. But what am I supposed to do if I can't find them and how am I supposed to let people know?"

He planned on emailing the township for clarity, also wondering if he can bring in professional non-police traffic control.

"If I can't find them (off-duty police officers) what am I supposed to do? There will be a lot of angry people showing up. I have no way of communicating with people that its not happening."

It's another in a growing list of issues in what has become a hotly contested issue.

Gusz isn't even allowed on township property while staff are there right now.

He said he was given a trespass notice by the township banning him because of an incident where he confronted a township employee over a lack of response to emailed questions at a polling station during the recent municipal election.

His recent appearances before council have been via Zoom.

Gusz finds it odd that he could have a display of Christmas lights that would "shame the Griswalds," and attract thousands of people without even needing a permit, yet he is having such difficulties with his, which in the past includes projection.

Another neighbourhood in Puslinch has a brilliant display of multiple houses lit up over Christmas that attracts lots of visitors that hasn't had any issues, he points out, adding he is a huge supporter of their efforts too.

"They're dictating how I choose to decorate my home," Gusz said, adding he has lots of support in his neighbourhood.

He added he has no plans right now to throw in the towel, despite the issues.

"I know I'm doing this for the right reasons. It's tasteful, it makes my kids happy, it makes me happy and it makes a lot of other people happy."