A view of the Central Park lights when they were first put in several years ago. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Improving safety

North Battleford’s Central Park to get lighting boost

Jul 18, 2023 | 1:07 PM

Central Park and the North Battleford Library building area will get a new boost of lighting after being partially in the dark for a while.

City council approved a resolution proposed by administration to replace the lights that are out in Central Park plus outside the library for an $8,000 estimated cost. The funds will be taken from the city’s 2023 operations department street-bollard repair budget.

Currently, there are eight orange lights mounted on poles in the park. Five of these lights are out. There are also lights on poles outside the library.

Mayor David Gillan noted the city has been hearing concerns from Battlefords Citizens on Patrol Program members about the park lighting issue as a safety concern.

The Citizens on Patrol alerted us to the park getting darker and darker at night. So, we need to do something about those lights,” he said.

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Coun. Bill Ironstand spoke up he was all in favour of these LED lights being replaced.

“Let’s light the park up. Make it safe. Hopefully, more people will utilize it in the evenings,” he said.

Lights on trees:

Ironstand enquired if the light strings that are wrapped around the trees in the park are working, adding that the last time he checked they weren’t. He also questioned whether the new LED lights would affect the ambience created by the tree lights.

James Johansen, city director of engineering, planning, asset management, and infrastructure, said the new replacement lights will instead be on the ground and won’t light up the whole atmosphere in the park.

“We have not looked at the condition of the lights on the trees,” he said. “That would be a separate issue to look into. I don’t know what their situation is.”

Coun. Greg Lightfoot mentioned he noticed the condition of the tree lights “failed quite substantially” over the last year.

“I’m just wondering if that’s something we can look at too, and see if there is some way we can replace some of them,” he said. “That’s certainly an option we should look at. The more lighting in that park the better. It did create quite an ambience in there. So, if we can have a look at those lights that would be a great idea.”

City Manager Randy Patrick noted there was a decision last week to ensure that at least twice a year the city will check all of its lights to make sure they are working.

“We will be trying to be more proactive on these lights in the future,” he said.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow