Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Nikka Yuko facility expansion will go ahead after all

Apr 6, 2020 | 5:47 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – After months of deliberations and presentations, the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens finally has assurance that their Programming & Community Facility will be built.

It was originally approved in the 2018-2027 Capital Improvement Program, but a motion was introduced to Lethbridge City Council earlier this year to potentially discontinue funding.

The 465 square metre building will replace their current office just before the entrance to the gardens and provide “new and improved cultural, historical, horticultural and other related programming and exhibits outside the Garden.”

Mayor Chris Spearman believes it was important to continue to support one of the city’s three main tourist attractions. The others are the Galt Museum and the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.

“It’s about investing in our city’s Centennial project and, basically, supporting the community that supports Nikka Yuko.”

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Councillor Mark Campbell made similar remarks, saying that the Japanese Gardens are a historical landmark that has provided great cultural, educational, and recreational benefits for over 50 years.

Councillor Ryan Parker added that, if you had asked him even a month ago about this project, he would have supported the motion to discontinue funding. He has since changed his mind.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic flared up in the province, Parker believes it is important to continue to invest in the community, particularly for facilities that are financially successful. This project is shovel-ready, which was a big factor in many of the councillors’ decisions.

Parker also said he learned a lot about the facility thanks to presentations from Nikka Yuko earlier this month.

The vote was not unanimous, however, as the motion to discontinue funding was defeated 7-2. Councillors Blaine Hyggen and Joe Mauro voted to discontinue the project for similar reasons.

Hyggen wants to make it clear that he does believe in Nikka Yuko’s project, but simply does not think this is the right time.

“I think, right now, in the times we’re in and with the reports we brought back, we need to tighten our purse strings. We need to save the money because we don’t know what’s going on in the future – we’re in unprecedented times right now. Would I like to have the project? You bet, but I don’t want to burden the taxpayers.”

In total, it will cost approximately $2.92-million to build the new facility. Of that, around $2.5-million would come from the federal gas tax, $90,000 from fundraising, and just under $300,000 from the City of Lethbridge’ Pay-As-You-Go community fund.

Between 2014 and 2018, their fee-for-service from the city for general operating costs ranged from $115,630-$130,110. That would rise under a new agreement to around $304,890 per year. The increase is due to things like the rising minimum wage and snow removal.

There would also be a one-time grant of $99,000 to build and stabilize new building operations. However, Nikka Yuko President Hembroff said earlier this month that the goal is to increase long-term revenues to the point where they would become less reliant on the municipality over time.

Hyggen believes it would be better to put this project over to the next Capital Improvement Program so they could have a better idea of funding sources and how the city could pay for it.

Spearman says he thinks construction could start this summer and be completed by next year.

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