City councillors have given the green light to a project that will illuminate the High Level Bridge.
Councillors approved the grassroots initiative Wednesday, which will see 60,000 LED lights installed on Edmonton’s hundred-year-old, landmark bridge.
The idea is meant to “illuminate the spirit of Edmonton” and be a signature written in light for the world to see.
Officials say it will cost about $3 million to string the lights – which can be individually controlled and coloured – on the bridge.
That money will not come from the city – instead, the project will be paid for through a grassroots fundraising campaign from Edmontonians and business owners.
Currently just over $319,000 has been donated since the fundraising campaign website launched last week.
The earliest date to light the bridge is late fall of 2013.
A report says if fundraising targets are not reached, “the entire project would be shifted such that the commencement of the ordering of materials would coincide with the date that funding is in place.”
Once the project is completed, it is expected to cost $17,000 annually to operate.
Funding for the operating cost is expected to come from savings in the city's existing street light program as well as existing operating programs in the city's transportation department.
