Former Coogan's Owners Donate Tree Lights In Washington Heights

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Members of the Washington Heights community are coming together for the holiday season and lighting up local parks.

The Community League of the Heights (CLOTH), a community development organization in Washington Heights, has sponsored tree lighting events for the past decade at Tanya Payan Park, McKenna Square Park, and Pablo Duarte Square Park.

In 2020, another longtime Washington Heights presence stepped up in helping bring a little holiday cheer to the neighborhood.

David Hunt and Peter Walsh.

The two men were original owners of the now-closed, but always iconic, Coogan's Bar in Washington Heights.

Hunt and Walsh are donating the lights they used each year in Coogan's to CLOTH, so that the organization can spread them around Washington Heights.

"Those decorations will be spread throughout the neighborhood in hopes of bringing some well needed joy and brightness to our beloved community," a spokesperson from CLOTH told Patch.

"This year, 2020 more than ever we need to be uplifted," Yvonne Stennet, Executive Director of CLOTH, said. "So, in this season of love and charity, let us do all we can to bring some cheer to our neighbors and friends. We are pleased to be able to decorate pockets within the community where that sense of joy can be seen and felt. Happy Holidays to all. Peace and Blessings to us all."

The lighting ceremony is on Thursday at 5 p.m., weather permitting, inside McKenna Square Park at Audubon Avenue and West 165th Street.

You can watch the tree lighting on CLOTH's Facebook page.