The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, along with the Town of Orchard Park Recreation Department and other partners has announced the cancellation of Santa Land events due to a wide-impact wind and weather event that is expected to impact Erie County and Western New York Saturday into Sunday. The storm will bring damaging and intensifying wind gusts and rain to the area throughout the day, with the potential for wind damage, downed trees and power outages. The event is being cancelled for the safety of Santa Land volunteers as well as all visitors and county personnel working at the event.

“With the potential for high winds and the damage they can cause it’s not prudent to have people outside in the park where injury could happen in an instant. This will be a wide-impact storm, so we are concerned not only with the safety of the people who would be at Chestnut Ridge but also those driving to get there through worsening weather,” said Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel. “In addition, the Erie County Sheriff’s personnel and Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Co. crew who were supporting Santa Land may be needed elsewhere tomorrow afternoon, so we want to keep those assets available to the community. It’s sad and unfortunate that this cancellation is necessary, but safety is always our top priority. We hope to see everyone later in the winter for WinterFest at Chestnut Ridge.”

For more information:

 On the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, visit http://www2.erie.gov/parks/    

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