A member of city council wants to know if Bright Lights Windsor could be held downtown.
Ward 8 councillor Gary Kaschak has asked administration to come back with a report on the logistics and feasibility of hosting the annual holiday lights display in the core.
Bright Lights Windsor has been held in Jackson Park, near Tecumseh Road and Ouellette Avenue, since 2017.
Kaschak says Bright Lights is a terrific city event but thinks it may have run its course at Jackson Park, feeling it doesn't bring any real retail benefits and parking is tough as well.
He think it would be a lot easier for people to park and attend it downtown.
"Walk around downtown and say 'ooh, I didn't know that was there, oh wow, let's go into this shop or restaurant.' I think it's economically driving and maybe the potential for a new location might keep that spirit and event fresh and alive as well," says Kaschak.
Along with a holiday light display throughout the park, there is also various themes and a holiday market featuring a number of vendors.
One of Bright Lights Windsor's lighted up tunnel entrances (Photo by AM800's Rob Hindi)
Kaschak asked for the report to look at moving it downtown sometime in 2024 or 2025.
"Somewhere starting around Ouellette and University and working its way east toward the City Hall area, the esplanade that goes right through the properties down to Riverside Drive. I think it merits a report from administration that would tell us what the logistics, infrastructure and security needs, and the finances to do something like that," he says.
Kaschak adds that the City deserves kudos for what they do, but sometimes events and locations need to be changed.
"I think this warrants a report for administration and a good discussion amongst council to see if there's a will and a desire to do this in a couple of years down the road," he adds.
The city estimates over 100,000 people attended this year's Bright Lights festival, which ran from from Dec. 2, 2022 until Jan. 8, 2023 in Jackson Park.