Bye bye birdie: Seven Kings peace dove coming down from perch but will return next year
The peace dove outside the station in Seven Kings.
Lizzie Dearden, Reporter
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
6:53 PM
The Seven Kings dove is finally coming down from its perch this week.
The illuminated bird, on a 10ft pole, was surrounded by lights symbolising world religions for the festive period.
The display, outside Seven Kings train station, in High Road, provoked some controversy when it was erected in October.
Some residents said they would have preferred a Christmas tree.
Seven Kings resident Shane St Louis, 26, said: “Christmas is a celebration for one religion so I don’t really get why others need to be included.
“I grew up with Christmas so I don’t know why it has to be changed.”
But Cllr Balvinder Saund said the lights encompassed all religious festivals through the festive period, including Eid-Ul-Adha, Diwali, the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev sahib, Christmas and Hanukkah.
She said: “Although we liked the idea behind a Christmas tree, they cost a lot and with budget cuts we wondered what we could do differently.”
Some residents are already missing the distinctive dove.
In a discussion on local social network Streetlife, user Bernadette B said she had warmed to the decoration.
She wrote: “I thought the dove strange when I first saw it as it was so big but it has grown on me.
“I like it and the dove will last longer then a tree.” The peace dove and lights will be used again this year.
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