Progress on the Nikka Yuko Bunka Centre. Photo taken March 26, 2021. (Supplied by Nikka Yuko)

By David Opinko

Nikka Yuko expansion should be complete in August, main gardens to open in May

Apr 16, 2021 | 12:02 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – UPDATE: The City of Lethbridge stated on Tuesday that construction of the new facility is moving along accordingly.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of this summer. Work is now visible from Mayor Magrath Drive with the roof and windows being installed. The next step will be to pour the concrete slab floor.

The pouring of concrete will result in temporary detours on the Henderson Lake walking pathway starting today, April 20, through Thursday, April 22, weather permitting.

A detour map can be seen below.

(City of Lethbridge)

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The proposed name of the facility, the Nikka Yuko Bunka Centre was presented to the Cultural and Social Standing Policy Committee on April 15.

The committee will present the name at a future Lethbridge City Council meeting for approval.

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It should only be another few months before the new facility at Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens opens to the public.

It is provisionally named the Nikka Yuko Bunka Centre, pronounced BOON-KAH, and means the “Cultural Centre.”

Located just before the entrance to the main gardens gate, the 465 square foot building will be a year-round hub for Henderson Lake.

The Bunka Centre will have two dedicated exhibit spaces, a cafe, and rentable spaces for meetings and community events, the largest of which will have a capacity of 100 people.

Nikka Yuko’s founders will be honoured with exhibits and spaces being dedicated in their names. These include Cleo’s Café (named after Cleo Mowers), the Kawamura Room (named after both Reverend Yutetsu and Yoneko Kawamura), Dr. Hironaka Room (named after Dr. Bob Hironaka), Dr. Kubo Room (named after Dr. Tadashi Kubo), and the Dr. Sugimoto Commons (named after Dr. Masami Sugimoto).

The project has a total budget of $2,292,000 and officials with Nikka Yuko say about $896,000 of that has been spent so far.

There are still a few mechanical and systemic installations to make, and from there, crews will work on landscaping in mid-summer.

Layout for the Nikka Yuko Bunka Centre. (Supplied by Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens)

Although the project was initially approved in 2018, whether or not it would go ahead was put into doubt early on into the pandemic.

City council was looking to cut back on costs and considered cancelling contracts for a number of capital projects.

In the end, they decided to keep this project on the books due to the historical and cultural significance of the Japanese Gardens and the educational and recreational benefits it brings.

READ MORE: Nikka Yuko facility expansion will go ahead after all

The Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens are expected to open for the summer season on May 13 while the Bunka Centre should be completed by August 31.

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