It's officially "in with the new" at Winters Park, where the first poles in a $3.2 million project to upgrade to LED lighting were installed Thursday, Dec. 5.
The Winters lighting project is on a strict timeline, starting Nov. 18, the day after the Garland Soccer Association season ended. By the time the soccer players return in February, the familiar yellow glow along Garland Avenue will be replaced by LED lighting. Working on short order between seasons, the City will be able to eliminate dark spots on the fields themselves while also keeping the illumination within Winters Park. It'll also be a big difference from the perspectives at neighboring residential, retail and Garland Independent School District properties.
While design concepts and land acquisition are in motion for several of the projects from the $423.7 million May 2019 bond election, the Winters lighting project is the first place where residents can see the fruits of their choices. Parks and quality of life were major focal points of the May 2019 bond election, in which eight items were all passed by the voters. Of that total investment, the resident-approved parks projects total $117.75 million.