A scaled back lights display at Jackson Park in Windsor is getting the approval of a city man who started a petition against the original $3-million plan.
Brett Henderson started the online petition after council voted for the new winter light festival.
As heard on AM800 News last week, Henderson wanted the petition to give residents a chance to speak out against council's decision.
"As I said from the beginning, the whole goal of this was to get a conversation started and to let council know that the people would like to be heard and I'm very pleased that the mayor had said that he heard us," says Henderson.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says the festival will now be phased in and the $3-million cost cut in half for the first display this winter.
Henderson is pleased with council's latest move on the Jackson Park light display.
"What makes me very happy is that they announced that they would like to not spend any taxpayer money on these lights," says Henderson. "I think a heavily donated lights display to the city would benefit greatly, I don't see the reason to use any of our hard earned taxpayer dollars towards something that we don't agree on."
Snow blankets Windsor's Jackson Park on March 13, 2017. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
The backlash to council's decision to spend on the light festival was fierce in light of the severe flooding that followed.
Henderson understands council couldn't have known the worst flooding in the city's history would immediately follow the controversial vote, but is happy council has heard the concerns.
"That timing really for the people at least, it gave them something to say to council, 'Look, listen — things like this happen and the way you're going about this, we don't agree with that,'" says Henderson.
Henderson's petition has more than tripled its target of 2,000 signatures.
The festival lights will be up in Jackson Park in December and January.
Dilkens calls the event a "legacy project" to help commemorate the city's 125th birthday and Canada's 150th birthday.