MARYSVILLE, Wash. — If you’re hoping to see the Marysville water tower lit up this year, you’ll be looking at black skies.
The city opted to not illuminate the tower this year, citing safety concerns.
“A recent structural assessment found the walkway around the 98-year-old water tower potentially unsafe for maintenance crews,” the city said in a news release to residents.
The city said it would cost an estimated $175,000 to repair the tower.
Instead, during the Merrysville for the Holidays celebration on Saturday, the city will light an 18-foot Christmas tree and other decorations in Comeford Park.
After the New Year, that Christmas tree will relocate to another park for a permanent home.
The tower was built in the 1920s and hasn’t held water since the 1970s. In the beginning, there were two towers — the other was where the Marysville Town Center mall is today. It was torn down in the mid-1980s to make way for that development.
It has been lit up for the holidays for about 25 years.
The Marysville City Council will eventually have to decide on the future of the water tower.
Merrysville for the Holidays kicks off at 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 with Winter Wonderland family activities at Comeford Park.
The electric lights parade on State Avenue from Marysville Municipal Court starts at 6:30 p.m.