FOLEY – Improved lighting will illuminate several Foley’s soccer fields following action by the City Council.
The council approved new LED lighting for three soccer fields at the Ralph Schumacher Soccer Park.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the new lights will cut power bills for the facility.
“It will pay for itself very quickly with the small usage of electricity used compared to the current lighting,” Hellmich said.
Hellmich said the upgrade is part of a series of improvements planned at city recreation facilities. Lights at Mel Roberts Park were replaced with LED systems last year.
David Thompson, Foley executive director for leisure services, said finding replacement parts for the existing lighting system is also becoming more difficult.
“The lighting needs to be upgraded to LED,” Thompson said. “We’re having trouble sourcing the metal halides that we have. This will also allow us to light some of the parking lot that we don’t have lit today.”
Under the plan approved by the council, the city will replace the lights at Soccer Fields 1, 2 and 3 at Schumacher Park. The plan also includes the installation of lights in the parking lot to the west of the field.
Thompson said the parking lot is not close to any residential areas and addition of the new lights should not affect any homes.