Great Lakes Council has been busy making two of their parks ‘greener’ than ever, with the installation of environmentally friendly solar lighting.

Council has recently replaced the park lighting at Oxley Park in Tuncurry and Providence Park in Hawks Nest with new solar powered units.

This lighting retrofit is part of a larger energy efficiency improvement program funded by the Australian Government. This program also includes energy efficiency improvements on community halls, centres and libraries.

Manager of Parks and Recreation Andrew Staniland said, “The old lights were corroded and inefficient so we replaced them with these standalone solar lights. They will be much cheaper to run and require very little maintenance, being dust, water and rust proof. The LED globes used inside also have a much longer life span and are very efficient.”

Solar lights at these locations will provide improved lighting reliability. This will ensure that these areas remain illuminated after dark, allowing the public and visitors to continue to use the park when the sun goes down.

“The old lights had to be replaced, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to trial solar lighting. Council is committed to reducing our energy consumption. Over time this reduces ongoing costs and ensures financially sustainable management of our assets,” said Mr Staniland.