It’s a massive over generalization to say nobody would use the park after dark, especially considering that the sun sets by the time a lot of people get home from work in the winter. Keep in mind that there is a lot of residential construction around the park, so even if the park isn’t drawing visitors from beyond Downtown, there are people who are and will be living right on the doorstep of the park, particularly students (considering the new housing incentive). They might use that park at all times of day for the most mundane activities like walking their dogs, going for a jog or just clearing their head (and especially if they’re students, maybe add in some weed, booze or late-night make-out sessions), and a cool ambient lighting feature would be heavily appreciated by those users. Yes, the park could have been enhanced with a fountain, but remember that it was created first and foremost as an amenity to make this area of downtown more liveable, not necessarily as a tourist draw, and it still does a fantastic job as a local park for neighbours. Most neighbourhoods in the city don’t have a basic water feature anyway, and when we get in a better budget position, there will be room by the park for a fountain. And that would be in addition to Churchill Square and the Leg, which have very popular water features already.
