Speaker hopes decked halls of Queen's Park will draw more visitors

The holiday season has kicked off with some extra oomph at Queen's Park this year, with its pink palace decked out in more Christmas lights and decor than it's used to, as the Speaker seeks to make the building more open and enticing to the public.

Outside the Ontario legislature — where there was little more than one large tree wrapped in festive lights in years past — hedges and tree trunks across the massive lawn are now lit, along with lighted decorations in the shape of reindeer and strings of lights lining the main entrance.

Inside, the grand staircase has long put on a grand show at Christmas, with twinkling trees, banisters wrapped in lights and poinsettias lining the steps. 

This year, the holiday decor has expanded throughout the building, now including a large tree of plastic poinsettias, real poinsettias spanning beyond the grand staircase, giant chandeliers of lights hanging above the ground floor, archways of lights in the hallways, and Christmas trees outside the chamber doors.

Donna Skelly, who was named Speaker earlier this year, said she is on a mission to make the legislature more open, accessible and welcoming to the public.

The legislature is a beautiful building and even more so at Christmas, Skelly said.

She recalled one time in December, not long after being elected, when she was walking down the hall after an evening sitting, heels in hand and feet pitter-pattering along the thick, green carpet, thinking how fortunate she was to work there.

"When I was elected Speaker, I wanted to make sure that other people right across the province had the same opportunity to come here, and would want to come here," she said. 

"One of the things I did notice is that the exterior was a little underwhelming ... Whether it's the lack of decorating or even the investment in maintaining this building, it's been somewhat neglected over the years, and I just wanted to make sure it was given the respect it deserved."

Politicians of all stripes stood Tuesday to give the decorations a standing ovation after Liberal member Adil Shamji heaped praise upon them during question period.

"Madam Speaker, may I begin by complimenting you on your spectacular transformation of the legislature," he said.

"Between the decorations, the trees, (and) the cheer, it’s a reminder that Christmas is almost here. 

Shamji then launched into an attack on the government's embattled Skills Development Fund.

Meeting minutes of the Board of Internal Economy — the non-partisan body responsible for the finances and administration of the legislative assembly — suggest even grander plans were afoot.