Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden welcomed nearly 17,000 during the its recent Winter Lights Festival.
That’s a huge 16% increase in attendance from the previous year.
Nikka Yuko attributes the higher number of visitors, in part, to new programming and attractions as well as what’s been a milder-than-normal winter.
Executive Director, Michelle Day says the partnerships they’ve formed in the community have made a positive impact on the Winter Lights Festival as a whole.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Garden is now waiting for a final decision from City Council next week (Mar. 9) on construction of a new community facility which would allow the garden to expand its programming year-round and increase revenue generating opportunities through the creation of a larger retail space, café, and venue rentals.
“During our busy nights we see an average of 300 guests per hour through our Visitors Centre,” says Day. “As this festival grows, we will continue to look for ways to maximize the garden’s potential and create a seamless experience for our guests and their families.”
City Council is looking at possibly removing some planned projects from the current Capital Improvement Plan as a way to save costs as the UCP government tightens the provincial purse strings.
The Nikka Yuko project is one of those up for discussion.