As a way to gain input from neighborhood residents whose streets are usually closed off in Woodstock Village for Halloween, Police Chief Robbie Blish will be at an informal listening and planning meeting this afternoon on Maple Street.
This same Maple Street, Golf Avenue and High Street neighborhood was recently flooded by the Kedron Brook and it’s in question whether “Halloween” in this neighborhood should continue or somehow be “re-formatted” as a result of the flood and other long-standing issues.
Rep. Alison Clarkson and Leanne Chynoweth are coordinating the get-together with Chief Blish at the Chynoweth residence on Maple Street at 4:30pm today. A flyer was placed in residential homes on Golf Avenue and Maple Street announcing the meeting.
Woodstock Early Bird spoke with Leanne and asked if residents of High Street would also be welcome. They are welcome! High Street is traditionally closed off for Halloween and — like Maple and Golf — attract hundreds of people on Halloween night.
The get-together is meant to be for neighborhood residents ONLY and is not a formal public meeting, but simply a way for police and local officials to get a sense from the small community about how they would like to proceed with Halloween going forward.
In addition to the question of having the neighborhood “host” so soon after the flood is the long-standing question of how the town wishes to pay for or donate and distribute candy in an equitable way if the neighborhood continues to be used for the festivities.
Some have also suggested that other neighborhoods in Woodstock Village be asked to “host” a safe, candy-generous venue for the kids. Others have suggested a Halloween “party” at a location such as the Masonic Temple. In any case, these are questions that will be discussed in the neighborhood today and will be considered by Village Trustees in the next week or so.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by Ann Jones on October 2, 2011 at 20:36
Julia, the meeting went well tonight although I did have to leave before it ended. There was a good turn-out. Most residents want Halloween to continue to be a fun, safe event for our children. We are all in agreement that the financial burden is too much. We also want other towns to understand that Halloween is not funded by the town- but by individual residents.
The plan was… To have better gathering and distributing efforts for candy, volunteers to help with handing out candy,( some of us have never trick or treated as a family) and some volunteers with clean up. Probably more to come.
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on October 2, 2011 at 21:36
Hey, thanks Woodstock Early Bird for the Report! Glad some good ideas came out of the meeting. We’ll look forward to hearing more soon! WEB
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Posted by Alison on October 3, 2011 at 06:52
I never took my kids on Halloween to Maple, Golf or High Street, and never understood why it became the resident’s obligation to hand out candy to hundreds of kids.
Those neighborhoods have wonderful people that have just suffered tragically with flooding, and the financial burden right now cannot be easy. Maybe this is the time to change tradition and ask everyone to give to those people. Perhaps something on the green would be far more appropriate.
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Posted by Karla on October 4, 2011 at 22:38
I previously commented on an earlier discussion of this topic and have to agree with Alison. The burden on these streets (as well as Mountain Avenue) is ridiculous. And when kids from other towns come in for the free-for-all, it is simply too much for anyone.
As I mentioned in the previous discussion, when I was a kid here in Woodstock, we had a “party” at the Little Theater. Knowing it is in sorry shape post-Irene, that wouldn’t work this year, but other areas are probably available. We also used to have parties in our classrooms at school, and something larger in the gym in the evening for costume judging. Village kids went trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods…outlying area kids either did not go, or just went to a few neighbors or family members with their parents. We went once, from my grandmother’s house to a few neighbors, and that was the extent of it. Nobody died from lack of candy lips or wax coke bottles. It wasn’t a big deal not to go…it was just something that we accepted as matter of geography, but enjoyed the organized functions in the village. I’m fairly sure this old tradition could (and should) be revived, and take the burden off the households.
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Posted by Julie on October 5, 2011 at 11:22
Thank you. 700-800 kids is too many. If it continues to this extent I will simply have to shut off my light, sadly.
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