Airdrie’s Chinook Winds Regional Park will soon be lit up after dark.
Wild Rose MP Blake Richards announced a $102,750 federal grant for installation of solar and wind-powered lights at the park, in Airdrie’s southwest.
The money will come out of the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund.
The City of Airdrie will match the grant to install the lights from provincial Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding.
“(The lighting project) has got every piece of what makes a good project, especially for Airdrie,” said Richards.
“Airdrie is a community with lots of families and lots of young children. (Chinooks Winds) is an example of something that’s very needed by Airdrie.”
Ten solar-powered and four solar- and wind-powered lights will be installed throughout the park.
According to Lorne Stevens, Airdrie’s director of community infrastructure, the lights won’t require electricity and will be much cheaper to install than traditional lights.
“This is Airdrie’s first foray into wind-powered city facilities,” he said. “It’s … a very cost-efficient move.”
Stevens said installation will likely begin in April and be complete by the end of June.
He added the solar- and wind-powered lights are expected to emit very little sound.
The lights are expected to increase the number of visitors to the park by extending the winter hours of the multi-use sport court, around which many of the lights will be installed.
In addition, the initiative is expected to improve security, visibility and accessibility throughout the park, according to a press release Richard’s office.
“This is very exciting,” said Mayor Peter Brown.
“There is a lot of residential development happening (near Chinook Winds). It’s a great family park and with these lights there are year round … I think it’s going to be amazing.”
