This idea isn't new. If you were keeping up with the suggestions subforum during the event, this idea was brought up several times with a positive response.

You would still, as you say, have to no life the event for pages, but it's more a guaranteed reward which let people set goals and achieve them.

I think it's one of the better solutions. Best one would be to make the new armors not use the whiskers except for the black kat gear, and/or make the Black Kat Cowl craftable in the new system.