A bronze, dedication plaque that was stolen from Centennial Park in Galt last fall has prompted the city to agree to add security lighting to the Gore Insurance building cupola in the park.
The cupola, which overlooks Main Street, was installed in 1985 along with the dedication plaque. The cupola is original to the insurance company's 1895 office on Water Street, before the company moved to its current location in 1935.
The theft of the plaque raised concerns "considering the tower itself is made of copper" warned the city's senior heritage planner Laura Waldie.
"Anything that's made of copper and bronze is being stolen across the region," she told the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee at last month's meeting.
Staff wanted to provide some security to prevent vandalism and prevent people from congregating underneath the tower, Waldie said.
The lights the city will install are LED and about 10,000 lumens. They'll be angled down so they're not shining on adjacent properties. The lights will go around the skirting of the cupola and will be contained to about 30 feet around its base.
Future lighting will go at the top of the tower and is not part of this project, Waldie added.
MHAC supported the recommendation to install the lights.
