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Council backs Memorial Field lighting fixes and proposes time-limited basketball-court lights
Summary
Township staff reported LED upgrades and repairs at Memorial Field, presented a $7,400 estimate to add four LED fixtures and timers at the basketball court, and councilmembers supported a timer-limited approach to balance recreation and neighborhood impacts.
Officials told the Township of Washington council on April 6 that most of the tall field lights at Memorial Field have been remediated and replaced with LED fixtures, and staff recommended adding lights and timers for the basketball court.
The administrator said earlier capital appropriations (ordinance 25-21) funded field lighting work and that the contractor Hannerhan Electric completed much of the original scope for about $20,000, leaving an approximate balance of $42,000. He said the contractor provided a $7,400 estimate to install LED fixtures on the four posts around the basketball court and to add timers that would permit lights to be turned on for limited, pre-set intervals (for example, 30–60 minutes) to prevent constant overnight use.
Councilmembers responded favorably to the timer idea as a way to allow evening play while limiting nuisance lighting. "That'd be awesome because I know a lot of people want to play and there's no lighting there now," one member said; another noted the timer would prevent lights from staying on if no one is playing. The administrator also described options to add protective padding around light towers and to place pavilion switches on timers so activities can continue without lights remaining on all night.
Council asked staff to confirm whether the larger fixtures have a timer that shuts them off at 11 p.m. and to provide firm estimates and any needed planning or code reviews. The discussion also noted a prior Eagle Scout bat-box installation on one pole and asked about any environmental interference; Hannerhan said the new fixture would be installed below the bat box and would not interfere, though the administrator noted he could not confirm environmental impacts without further review.
The council did not take a formal vote on additional basketball-court work at the April 6 meeting; staff presented the estimate and sought guidance to proceed if the council agreed to use available capital funds.
