Halloween remains one of the biggest events of the year in Garden City. With houses close together, legions of children living here and relative safety, the area is such a popular trick or treating location that it practically becomes a pedestrian-only zone for a few hours.

Much of the news media (and many politicians) remain focused on outlandish and unrealistic dangers such as rainbow colored fentanyl. As has been pointed out repeatedly, the poisoned Halloween candy myth has remained a non-existent danger as what reported cases there are were attributed to people the children knew, not strangers. Politicians and the media seem to have an increasingly poor grasp over putting dangers in perspective.

What does remain a danger, however, is pedestrian safety. Recently I saw a story pointing out that Halloween is the single most deadly day of the year for pedestrians. With pedestrian deaths spiking during the pandemic, this is likely an even greater danger.

Christiana has a pretty solid list of recommendations for a safe Halloween. Nether Providence remains poorly lit despite the new LED lighting, so flashlights, lanterns and glowsticks, sticking to the side of roads, wearing reflective or brighter items are all especially good tips. We have erratic sidewalks, so trying to stay on them can be treacherous – if you have raised beds or other garden items near the street, lighting them during Halloween might help keep people from tripping over them. And, if you can avoid it, don’t drive around here between 5 and 9 pm on Halloween if you can avoid it.

The township is having a decorating contest. Oddly, I can’t find anything on the website about it, but if you want to be sure you’re display is looked at, contact the township office. There are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize. I haven’t checked, but I’m pretty sure Garden City’s always won at least one of the prizes each year.

One last safety note, PennDOT is working on Waterville/Chestnut at night this week,

Monday, October 24, through Friday, October 28, from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM the following morning, a lane closure is scheduled on Chestnut Street/Waterville Road between Route 320 (Providence Avenue) and Brookhaven Road in City of Chester and Nether Providence Township for milling and paving

Update – The Inquirer had a story on this as well.