Business owners hope citywide bright lights lead to more customers

Bright Lights Windsor is back on but like many events during the pandemic, it's going to look different this year.

The "reimagined" event is now going to take place citywide. Signature displays, which Windsorites would normally viewat Jackson Park, are now placed indifferent pockets of the city.

The announcement comes about a month after the City of Windsor decided to pull the plugon this year's festival because of COVID-19.

The cityalso announced on Monday that it gave $20,000 to each of the ninebusiness improvement associations (BIAs) which "will be used to purchase holiday lights and displays to further light up our neighbourhoods and support local small business," a boost that some local business owners, includingFilip Rocca, the owner of Mezzo Ristorante & Lounge and president of the Erie Street BIA, say they need.

"Itwas a great move by the city to offer the buyers a little bit of funding to spruce up their areas. We've been wanting to do that on every street for a couple of years now. So this gave us the opportunity to pull the trigger this year and help with obviously paying for it. So we're really happy about it," Rocca said.

"Not only cosmetically it does look nicer, especially at night, but obviously, you know, a little safer for the area as well."

He said he looks forwardto seeing the trees along Erie Streetlit up in the coming days andhopes itdrives up more customers to local businesses.

Mohammed Al Khaleel, the owner of Brothers Barber Shop on Ottawa Street, hopes thisto be case for his business as well.

"It makes me feel goodwhen people walk around the business and when people around the street," he said.

Kathy Molenaar, the owner ofVictoria's Flowers and Gifts on Erie Street, said her business won't be benefiting from the light displays as the bulk of her business operatesin morning and early afternoons, but she hopes the light displays across the city"brings a lot of cheer and a lot of businesses to prosperin good ways."

Locations of light displays include:

• Charles Clark Square

• Chimczuk Museum

• City Hall

• Jackson Park

• Mackenzie Hall

• Ouellette Overpass

• Transit Centre

• WFCU Centre

• Willistead Manor

• Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre

Take a look at some of the holiday lights draped across the city: