Village of Baldwinsville offers Halloween safety tips

By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

Halloween will look a lot different this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but families in Baldwinsville can still enjoy a safe, spooky celebration thanks to tips drafted by Village Trustee Megan O’Donnell and Baldwinsville Police Chief Mike Lefancheck. Mayor Dick Clarke highlighted the Halloween guidelines at the Oct. 15 meeting of the Baldwinsville Village Board of Trustees.

“Give it a read. It’s not rocket science. It’s a lot of common sense, but it’s put down in one place for you to read,” Clarke said of the guide, which is available at baldwinsville.org.

The village is allowing trick-or-treating between 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

Homeowners are encouraged to wear a mask and gloves while distributing treats. Instead of letting trick-or-treaters reach into a communal bowl of candy, residents can drop treats into each child’s bag.

“Find a fun way to deliver the candy in a socially ‘distant’ way,” suggests the village’s Halloween guide.

Residents who do not want to participate in handing out candy are encouraged to turn off their porch lights.

The village also offers tips for families who want to venture out on the evening of Oct. 31.

“If you choose to allow your children to participate, consider a costume that can incorporate a face mask; trick-or-treat in small groups; be a good role model and wear your mask; if a house looks overly crowded, move on to another home with fewer trick-or-treaters,” reads the village’s tip sheet. “And if you or your child has a fever or any other COVID-19 symptoms, please remain home and find another way to celebrate the holiday with them.”

Lefancheck encouraged residents to find other ways to celebrate Halloween besides crowded parties, which could spread the virus to many people.

“We would ask those folks that would maybe used to congregate in groups amongst your neighbors and have parties and trick-or-treat all together, we’d ask you not to do that this year,” he said. “Please do everything you can to ensure your safety, your children’s safety, and those folks in the community and we would appreciate that as well.”

For more Halloween events in Baldwinsville and neighboring communities, check out the Messenger’s events calendar and Weekender email newsletter.

Lysander park closes for the winter Oct. 31

The Lysander Town Board also met Oct. 15 to review the highway department budget for 2021 and receive updates from town departments. The budget review, recorded by PAC-B TV, can be viewed in its entirety at vimeo.com/pacbtv/videos/.

Between review sessions, department heads shared their recent developments with the town board.

Recreation Supervisor Tony Burkinshaw said Lysander Park will be closed and winterized as of Oct. 31. Pavilions, restrooms, and tennis courts will be closed for the season, but the playground and trails are still available for residents to enjoy.

Burkinshaw said more than 200 children have registered for the annual Halloween window painting in the village, which takes place Oct. 24.

“It’s a long tradition here in Baldwinsville,” Burkinshaw said.

The Lysander Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers to clean up the Halloween paintings Nov. 1. Contact the parks office at [email protected] or 315-635-5999 to sign up.