The co-chairman of the Santa Claus Parade is urging Mayor Rob Ford to “reconsider” his decision to march in the annual event.

“Our request is simple, we know the Mayor loves the Parade, but for this year let’s avoid this distraction and put the focus back on Santa and Mrs. Claus,” Ron Barbaro wrote in the letter to the mayor’s chief of staff, Earl Provost.

Barbaro told the Star the parade board is “concerned about the safety” of the children and other spectators in light of the “chaotic” attention the mayor has received — from media and protesters — since he admitted last week to smoking crack cocaine while in office.

“We were more afraid on the part of the children,” Barbaro said. “He has to go through a scrum to get to his car. He can’t even go out of his office.”

But Barbaro said the request has “nothing to do with” the mayor’s admitted substance abuse and the ongoing police investigation into his activities.

“That’s what’s caused the problem, but we’re not judges of that whatsoever,” he said. “We just know that Santa’s the hero. Let’s let it be that way.”

There has been confusion about Ford’s involvement in this weekend’s Santa Claus Parade since Monday, when Barbaro said he was told by Provost that the mayor would not be marching. However, Ford’s spokesman, Amin Massoudi, said the mayor would in fact be “participating.”

But Barbaro makes clear the parade board’s “official position” in his letter.

“With the media following the Mayor in everything he does, we do not want this distraction to take away from the anticipated fun and enjoyment that children will have on Parade Day,” Barbaro wrote.

Initially, Barbaro said he was told Ford would not be marching “due to recent events in the mayor’s life, but would be a spectator watching the parade with his family.”

He said he was surprised when the mayor announced on Monday night that he had “changed his mind and will now walk ahead of the Parade.”

“We are appealing to the Mayor, as a parent to reconsider this decision. We are asking him to go back to the original decision,” Barbaro wrote. “The Santa Claus Parade is presented for children and families and the single focus is the magic of Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving to usher in the Holiday Season.”

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ford has marched in the parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, as mayor for the past two years, and in 2010 as mayor-elect. The parade kicks off at 12:30 p.m. this Sunday.

Barbaro reiterated on Wednesday that the mayor has not been “uninvited” to the parade.

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“He can march in the parade,” Barbaro said. “We’re just asking.”