ELORA – Not long after Kat Florence Canada pulled the plug on the Village of Lights campaign it had planned for downtown Elora this winter, it appears the event may be a go after all.
The husband-and-wife team of Don Kogen and Kristy Hillis are the people behind Kat Florence and they have been buying up some derelict historic buildings in the core and restoring them.
Last year they lit up their own buildings at Christmas.
This year they offered subsidies to downtown businesses who wanted to light up their stores as well.
Kat Florence also purchased Francis Lane from the township and turned it into a cobblestone walkway.
For Christmas this year, they lit up the laneway, brought in market stalls, fire bowls and seating, and turned it into the Christmas Market.
In an interview, Kogen said Kat Florence poured about $300,000 into a marketing campaign to bring influencers to the village, who then posted their own thoughts and photos of Elora.
Most were positive reviews and that brought people.
“Business owners told me they had tried in the past but failed to draw people to town in the winter. So that’s what we were trying to do,” Kogen said.
“We were all taken aback that it was so successful.”
But along with a flood of tourists came traffic, a lack of parking and garbage. Many residents complained that tourists were taking over the town.
Kogen acknowledged there were traffic problems caused by the influx of visitors and set up an arrangement with Red Car to run a shuttle service from the GrandWay Events Centre to the downtown core to help alleviate those issues.
Kat Florence covered the cost of the shuttle.
“The first day we shuttled 500 people. The second day 700 people rode it,” he said. “For comparison, the township’s shuttle did about 700 people a month in the summer.”
But after the first two weeks of the market, Kogen said he was notified by the township it had received a number of complaints.
Kogen said he started to receive hate emails as well.
The Christmas market ended on Dec. 28 as planned, but the Village of Lights, which was to launch on Jan. 11, was taken off the table, Kogen said on Jan. 6.
He received a notice from the township on Jan. 3 asking Kat Florence to halt that event.
But on Jan. 7, Kogen said a group of local businesses decided to get together to raise $50,000 and hoped Kat Florence would fund the rest.
So, as it stands, the Village of Lights is back on, starting on Jan. 17. It will run weekends in January, February and March.
Each Saturday night at 5:55pm, the Grand Celtic Pipe Band will parade through the Green Space and then at 6pm, the lights will turn on.
The lights will be turned off at 11pm.
Kogen said it will be an “apres ski” atmosphere with a market again, fire bowls and outside seating.
Kat Florence had been buying up antique skis and bobsleds and such to set around the village to create settings for photos.
Kogen said it’s been strange – this off again, on again event – but in the end he only wants to benefit the town.
“I will not go against the wishes of the community or the township,” he said.
“This is a town that’s changing and progressing, but that’s not my war.
“But we got calls and emails from people saying we are destroying their town. We just want to do the right thing.”
Ardin Lalui, at the Friendly Society restaurant, was one of more than 50 business owners who wrote to the township asking them to let Kat Florence continue its Elora promotions.
He said Elora is booming in the summer, but it basically shuts down in winter. Many businesses close completely.
Those that keep operating usually have to reduce their staff.
“Winter is when we suffer,” Lalui said. But the Christmas market brought people “and sales went through the roof,” he added.
And with the Village of Lights, “I thought I might not have to lay off staff. ”
The Dalby House in Elora is all lit up for Christmas in 2023. Advertiser file photo
A group of business owners sent a letter to township staff and council pointing out how well their businesses did during the Christmas Market, imploring the township to let Village of Lights go ahead.
According to the letter, the Elora Mill experienced a sales increase of $250,000 over Christmas, Le Chien Chaud food truck sold 1.5 metric tonnes of french fries at the market, and ARIA Boutique saw sales increase by 85 per cent in December.
Many spoke of the hardship of remaining open in winter and were looking forward to the boost the Village of Lights would bring them.
“To say the potential cancellation of this event is devastating would be an understatement,” Dylan James at the Elora Brewing Company stated.
“The town has never seen a period of such growth and vibrancy, and we stand with all of Elora’s local businesses in asking for your reconsideration of this decision.”
While Kogen was ready to pack it in on Jan. 6, by Jan. 7 local businesses had decided to band together, raise some funds and revive the event.
“It seems like the town is unifying,” Kogen said on Jan. 7. “I can’t turn them down when they’re coming together like this.”
The event will be smaller than originally planned and details still have to be worked out.
Business owners Maclean Hann and Lalui sent an email to Elora businesses on Jan. 7 hoping the event can be revived.
“Kat and Don have also kindly agreed to work with us to salvage as much as possible of what was previously planned so that we can make the winter as financially successful as possible for all of us,” their email states, adding township staff support the idea.
“There is also a strong desire from everyone that we make these promotions as inclusive, and as broadly supported as possible. That is why we are trying now to raise money from the local businesses to contribute to resurrecting the promotions.”
In an email, Mayor Shawn Watters said he supports the initiatives of Kat Florence and its efforts to revitalize the downtown core, but the township must be involved early in the planning process to identify and address potential concerns.
“The private investment from Kat Florence was truly a gift to our community,” Watters said.
“It has helped local businesses surpass many of their goals from previous years, providing the opportunity to employ more local residents than ever before.
“We want to ensure that future efforts are fully thought out, carefully considering safety, parking, and the overall experience for all.
“The township will continue to work closely with community partners to ensure we are fully prepared for the influx of visitors and that the event is managed to benefit everyone.”
