A signature winter attraction in Coquitlam will cost taxpayers more than $110,000 this year.
The 2017 Lights at Lafarge display drew more than 200,000 visitors to Town Centre Park over an eight-week period, from November to January — a number that exceeded the city staff’s expectations, according to a staff report that went before council-in-committee last week.
Raul Allueva, Coquitlam’s general manager of parks, recreation and culture services, said 9,000 people were at the launch, which created “crowd management and safety challenges” around the Evergreen Cultural Centre.
As a result, this year’s launch will be staged across the lake, at the Town Centre Park Performance Plaza and will include more entertainment to bring the event total to $30,000.
Another $82,000 will be spent on the light display itself, around the 1.2 k lake loop, and to pay for more parking attendants; however, volunteers will be needed to keep the budget, Allueva said.
Instead of using Park Spark helpers at workshops and scavenger hunts, volunteers will be recruited for a new Light Brigade to assist with the display as well as meet-and-greet guests at the lake.
Started in 2011 to replace the Light the Lake fundraiser sponsored by Douglas College and the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation, the seasonal lights display has grown to become one of the city’s biggest tourism events along with the Canada Day celebrations also held at Town Centre Park.
