Lighting to enhance positivity
Waimakariri’s two main town centres look set to move into the future with new high street lighting planned before Christmas.
WDC councillor Dan Gordon, who has the town centre portfolio and also sits on the board of Rangiora Promotions, has been working on the lighting plan for some time, and said yesterday there was a lot of excitement for the project.
While the council had been cognisant of cost — the lights for both Rangiora and Kaiapoi are in excess of $450,000 — it was considered an investment worth making as they would last for the next two decades.
It was hoped the lights would be up in time for Christmas.
‘‘They will have more usability than just Christmas. We will be able to turn them green, for example, for St Patrick’s Day.’’
The project was very timely, Gordon said, because both town centres were currently vibrant with a lot of positive activity going on.
‘‘We really want to keep that momentum going. A lot of businesses are feeling very positive in the town centre, and it will create a really lovely space.’’
The lighting plan, which will see trees illuminated, was necessary because of the changing shape of the high streets, Gordon said, with new building heights and lamp post removals meaning the lighting could not be festooned as in previous years.