WACO, Texas (KXXV) — After more than 20 years, Waco's famous Colcord Avenue Halloween tradition looks different this year. The neighborhood association stopped paying for street closures due to insurance concerns.
- Colcord Avenue in Waco scaled back its Halloween safety measures after more than 20 years of organized festivities that typically drew 3,000 to 4,000 children.
- In previous years, the street was closed with barricades, police presence and ambulances, but this year operated without those organized safety measures.
- Neighbors and parents expressed concerns about child safety without the street closure, while a councilmember mentioned potential for "informal police presence."
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Colcord Avenue in Waco looked different this Halloween as the popular trick-or-treating destination scaled back its safety measures after more than 20 years of organized festivities.
The street has been a Halloween hotspot for families, typically drawing 3,000 to 4,000 children each year. In previous years, Colcord Avenue was closed to traffic with barricades, police presence and ambulances on standby to create a safe environment for trick-or-treaters.
However, after last Halloween, the Sanger Heights Neighborhood Association decided they would no longer pay the City of Waco to close Colcord Avenue.
The main reason was financial liability. Paying for the street closure meant the association had to get insurance, which neighbors say would make them liable if something like an injury were to happen.
Without the street closure, neighbors expressed concerns about child safety.
"We're on our own the city has deserted it, all we want is to help make it safe," one resident said.
Parents who brought their children out to trick-or-treat shared similar concerns about safety without the organized street closure.
"It's always a really big thing, there's always tons of small kids around here, I have four small ones. It outs everybody at risk and dangerous, a lot of people drive really fast, however i really think the houses are going to do it up like they always do," said parent Vincent Knightley.
When asked about plans for street closure, Councilmember Ewing said there was potential for an "informal police presence."
During the event, there was an AMR ambulance set up on Colcord. When asked why they were there, the said they were on call if anything were to happen.
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