The first step to replacing a Galt neighbourhood’s iconic street lights with a more sustainable upgrade got a cautious vote of approval last week.
The city’s heritage committee has agreed to a trial run with new globe-style heritage lighting on a small section of Salisbury Avenue, and has asked the city to pay for a new mould to mimic the existing lights before it commits to replacing all heritage lights in Dickson Hill and in other parts of Cambridge.
Last year, council asked staff if it could install seven to eight decorative globe lights along Victoria Park as part of the Salisbury Avenue Reconstruction Project.
Staff were unable to locate the 1914 mould used for the original globe lights and weren’t confident a recreation of the old lights would meet current safety standards anyway.
So, instead they sourced a similar looking light standards with a concrete base at a cost of $2,225 each.
Since the proposed lighting upgrade is considered an alteration to the existing Heritage Conservation District HCD, staff had to consult the heritage committee for approval.
But instead of accepting the recommendation, the municipal heritage advisory committee drafted two separate motions.
Committee member Pam Wolf recommended seeing the public’s reaction to the new light standards in Victoria Park before agreeing to replace all of the heritage light standards in the HCD.
And after MHAC member Michelle Goodridge expressed concern about replacing the standards, she suggested a new mould of the old light fixtures be created to use in future replacement projects.
Getting a mould made within a two-month window, timed with the end of the road reconstruction project, didn't seem feasible to the committee or staff.
“These are iconic Galt fixtures,” Goodridge said, adding that replacing the 107-year-old metal lights with cement is to do a disservice to their legacy.
MHAC wants every effort made to preserve the look of the green, fluted globe lights seen throughout the Dickson Hill HCD, including recreating the luminosity of the sodium light.
The committee has asked the city to report back with costs for a new mould and will compare that option once the public has a chance to see the new lights on Salisbury Avenue.
The city’s two-phase approach to reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions from street lighting started in conjunction with the region’s effort to replace 43,649 High Intensity Discharge (HID) cobra head luminaires with LED street lights.
Cambridge replaced 5,298 HID fixtures in 2018 under the Region of Waterloo’s contract.
Now the city wants to replace all of its 2,907 decorative street lights with an LED equivalent.
The upgrades are expected to improve efficiencies and reduce costs since LED are considered more energy-efficient, reduce maintenance costs, reduce energy costs, and reduce GHG emissions.
