Cherokee OKs holiday lights show at Veterans Park

Cherokee County commissioners have approved a drive-through holiday lights display at Veterans Park, modeled after the Holiday Lights of Hope (pictured) at Hobgood Park. HOLIDAY LIGHTS OF HOPE VIA FACEBOOK

Cherokee County commissioners have approved a drive-through holiday lights display at Veterans Park, modeled after the Holiday Lights of Hope (pictured) at Hobgood Park. HOLIDAY LIGHTS OF HOPE VIA FACEBOOK

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has given its blessing to a drive-through holiday lights show at the newly opened Veterans Park to raise funds for area nonprofits.

The board approved a facility use agreement with 112 Events for a light show to benefit Papa’s Pantry, the Ana Crawford Center, SkillsUSA and Homeless Veterans of Cherokee County. The county will receive 10 percent of the net profits from the event, according to a staff report to commissioners.

The light show, modeled after the Holiday Lights of Hope at Hobgood Park, will run from late November through early January, staff said. Displays would be placed along park roads and parking lot drives of Veterans Park, a 149-acre facility that opened Aug. 14 at 7345 Cumming Highway (Ga. 20) near Canton.

“Use of the park during these nights for the event would not significantly impact the public’s use of the park since athletic leagues have concluded by the end of October, and other amenities such as the playground, walking track and skate park are intended for daytime use,” staff said.