St. John’s is likely going to aim to have the downtown pedestrian mall bigger and better next year and to capitalize on Come Home Year opportunities.

Government has set aside $4-million for the event, which is designed to rejuvenate tourism.

Last summer, the city expanded the mall to two sections of Duckworth Street but later watered it down. Surveys through the “What We Heard” process indicate that the Duckworth Street experiment did not achieve expectations or attract the masses.

City officials are assessing the information received and will make recommendations to council on how to proceed next year.

Mayor Danny Breen likes the idea of capitalizing on Come Home Year.

“When we think of Come Home Year, it’s not just the pedestrian mall,” said Breen. It’s also about the George Street Festival, the Regatta, Folk Festival and Iceberg Alley.

The 2021 mall cost just over $370,000 last year with the city putting up $250,000 and the federal and provincial governments $60,000 each.