Upgraded Lighting in Strathcona – More Info

Our lighting team met with Neighbourhood Renewal project manager Becky Redford last night. Here is what we learned (I held some misconceptions before the meeting).

Light Standard Options:

• As of this moment, there are only a few options for upgraded lighting during neighbourhood renewal. They amount to the following:
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• Right now, the “Glenora” option is not available. This one:
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• However: the city is working hard to make the “Glenora” lights available in time for our neighbourhood renewal. We have to wait for further details, which will emerge in the coming months.

Funding Options

• As of this moment, it will be very, very difficult for Strathcona to fund upgraded lighting. The current process is that a notice would be sent out to all title holders in September detailing how much extra each title would have to pay to fund the upgraded lighting. This would be in the range of $15-$35 per year for 15 years. 51% of title holders must agree in order for the lights to be funded. Given the number of apartment buildings and absentee landlords in the neighbourhood, it would be a massive undertaking by the community to get those signatures.
• However: the city is trying to change the process in time for our neighbourhood renewal. The new process would be that 51% of title holders who return the filled-out notice have to agree to pay for upgraded lighting. In other words, of those people who vote, 51% need to vote in favour. This would be a doable project for the community. We have to wait for further details on this process, which will emerge in the coming months.

The bottom line is, we need to wait for two things: for all lighting options to become available, and for a more tenable funding option to become available. Our partners at the city are working hard to make both a reality in time for Strathcona’s renewal.