New light poles, electric set

Aug 11, 2023

The outdated and potentially dangerous light poles and electric outlets at Jefferson Street Park in Salamanca could soon receive a needed update for brighter, cost-effective and safer lights and outlets for events and decorations.

SALAMANCA — A brighter, more cost-effective and safer set of electric poles could soon be lighting up Jefferson Street Park.

The Common Council Wednesday authorized the purchase of about $47,500 in new light equipment for the park as well as the replacement of the electrical components and lighting by the Board of Public Utilities for about $3,000.

A quote by GoTToGo Electric, Inc. of Leroy for six Stresscrete Light Stands totaling $27,978 and six luminaries totaling $13,608 for the park was accepted by the council. It will be paid for by Industrial Energy Efficiency Program.

The council also accepted GoTToGo Electric's quote for two spare luminaries for $3,569 and five spare globes in the amount of $2,261.

"We think we can get all the luminaires covered by the IEEP," said Dennis Hensel, BPU Manager.

The electrical work by the BPU would upgrade the ability to provide efficient, accessible vendor power during festivals as well as season lighting needs.

Two new wooded poles would be placed in the BPU right-of-way on the Park Avenue side of the park for outdoor-rated NEMA electric panels that are lockable and provide multiple power outlet configurations suitable for appliance use for food vendors, which gets the current placement of panels out of the trees during festivals, Hensel said.

The power boxes currently at the park are not outdoor rated and are in poor condition, and the locations require excessive lengths of extension cords. Hensel said they will be waterproof and lockable.

Replacement of the lights is scheduled for late spring or early summer. The fiberglass lights standards currently in the park are aging and showing significant breakage at some of the bases. Some light standards have electrical conduit exposed at the bases.

"We’re going to donate the trucks and our labor and the time to install the standards and wire them correctly," Hensel said.

The BPU recommends that the fiberglass standards be replaced with the same Stresscrete lighting standards that line Main Street and the Broad Street intersection, which have bases built into the light pole.

The concrete standards have outlets that can better accommodate decorating or light electrical use that the current standards lack. The new luminaries are LED and completely covered by the IEEP.

The current luminaries are UV yellowed by sunlight and are inefficient, using ballasts that are not needed for LED lighting. The new concrete poles can also have accessories like flag and banner holders.

(Contact managing editor Kellen Quigley at [email protected])

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