New lights planned for city skyline
By Tayla Scott
As part of Trail’s downtown revitalization plan, the Trail bridge on Highway 3B will have LED lights, both white and coloured, attached to it sometime next year, if all goes according to plan. Trail’s Downtown Opportunities and Action Committee is working on raising enough money for the project.
“We contributed $5,000 [on June 10] towards the lighting project that they’re working on,” said Sabrina Locicero, Stakeholder Engagement Advisor with Community Relations at BC Hydro. “It aligns really well with our environmental sustainability.”
“It’s quite visible and is an example of what some energy efficient lighting can look like in that scale,” said Locicero. “[LED lights] use a lot less energy than alternative lighting for a bridge like that.”
“At this point, this is our contribution. This is how we’re helping them along. We’ll definitely support any events in the launching of the bridge with the lighting when it’s ready to go and want to be involved with the community there,” said Locicero, BC Hydro. “It’s a good example of efforts that communities can take toward environmental sustainability.”
Mike Martin is the Chair of the Downtown Opportunities and Action Committee. He accepted BC Hydro’s $5,000 contribution in the form of a cheque with Jason Milne, another member of the Downtown Opportunities and Action Committee.
“We approached a number of corporations for sponsorship or partnership in this project. We’re absolutely delighted that BC Hydro has chosen to help with the project,” said Mike Martin, Chair of the Downtown Opportunities and Action Committee, City of Trail.
But this contribution is just a step in the overall process of attaching lights to the bridge.
“There are quite a few steps to go through. First of all, our commitment to the City of Trail was to raise $200,000 and we’re currently at $55,000 in cash and a small in kind donation from a local contractor,” said Martin.
“So we need to get a fair bit more money raised on the project. Total cost is $400,000. The city is committing to consider the other half in their 2015 capital plan. The city’s being very supportive of the project.”
“We received authorization for $25,000 of funding this year from the city to advance the engineering to achieve the necessary approval and permits to allow for the installation of the lights on the bridge.”
“The plan right now, if everything falls into place, is to have the lights installed next year,” said Martin.
“There will be a total of 96 narrow beam white lights that will be shining down each of the structural columns. There will be 128 programmable coloured LED lights on the four arches. The plan is to have these lights change colours with various events, activities, celebrations in the city,” said Martin.
“It will become a real landmark and an attraction for the downtown area and really celebrate the presence of the Columbia River in our downtown area,” said Martin. “This is a key component of the downtown revitalization, it will really provide a celebration of our history and the life that connects people river and light,” said Martin.
In terms of getting more partnerships underway, Martin said, “A number of other very positive discussions are occurring.”
“We just have to stay the course here and hopefully meet our goal.”
