CORNWALL – The city would have to spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars, plus ongoing bills, to light up Lamoureux Park like it was during Canada 150 in 2017.
Cornwall’s budget committee heard Tuesday afternoon that lighting the park for the same number of trees for the sesquicentennial would cost $210,000.
Most of that cost is to run underground wiring and add electrical receptacles at the base of trees. In addition to the $210,000, there would be a $15,000 annual cost to replace burn outs and failures in the lights and wiring.
The existing display had extension cords strung in the trees – something the electrical safety officials had an issue with.
“The cost is too great,” Coun. Todd Bennett said, suggesting flood lights might be a better option.
Coun. Justin Towndale said he had seen a similar display at Confederation Park in Ottawa.
But Recreation Manager Jamie Fawthrop said the cost would be about the same with $6,000 to $8,000 per flood light plus all the underground wiring.
“It’s too expensive,” added Coun. Eric Bergeron, who supported getting the report on lighting the park in the first place.
“A spotlight doesn’t have the same ambience as a string of lights,” Coun. Elaine MacDonald said.
The report was part of capital budget talks but will likely not go anywhere based on the feedback from council.