City council approved a bright idea to enhance the lighting being installed at the new lacrosse box at Central Park.

The city’s staff recommended purchasing LED lighting for the new, multi-surface lacrosse box at an additional cost of $21,757 — funding for which will come from carbon tax rebates. This funding, which the city receives annually, is approximately $22,000.

These lights are said to be brighter and cost less to operate.

Contractor ICE Developments suggested the city opt for LED lights over the metal halide lights that were specified in the construction document.

The cost of the halide lights was deducted from the total cost for the LED lighting.

Financial services manager Ken Ostraat said the LED lights are more expensive to install than the halides, but have a longer shelf life.

The lights will be installed on taller poles than originally planned, allowing for a more direct focus of light on the lacrosse box surface. The cost of the poles is included in the price to install the LED lights.

Six lights will be installed in total.

A City of Merritt report to council stated the LED lights should wind up paying for themselves in the long run, given savings from their reduced electrical consumption compared to halide lights.

The specific timeframe for payback would depend on the hours of usage.

They will be cut lights, meaning their light beams will focus on the surface of the lacrosse box. They will also be on timers.

At the council meeting on Dec. 16, Coun. Ginny Prowal asked if solar powered lights had been considered, to which leisure services manager Larry Plotnikoff said there was no other alternative to LED lights that were strong enough for the project.

Plotnikoff said there have been some cost overruns with the project in regard to excavation and rebar costs.

Ostraat told the Herald the project has still remained close to the company’s original bid.

The lacrosse box is expected to open at the end of January, about a month later than originally planned.

Remaining work on the box includes connection of a water line as well as electricity, and cleaning of the lacrosse box surface.

A walkway on the outside of the box also needs to be installed, as well as basketball hoops and lighting.

Land swap inching forward

Merritt’s new city council unanimously approved the adoption of a bylaw to close an undeveloped road in an effort to exchange that land with Superstar Properties for property that will allow for a future satellite fire station.

The property is located in the north end of Merritt near the airport.

However, there are no plans to build a satellite fire station in the immediate future.

Now that the Highway Closure and Removal of Dedication Bylaw 2180 has been adopted, the City of Merritt will apply to have the provincial government’s right of resumption on the closed road eliminated.

Public works utility truck on the way

City council approved awarding the tender of a new utility service truck for water works to IRL International Truck Centres Ltd. for  $104,253 plus tax — the lower of two options.

The truck purchase came in approximately $5,000 under budget.

The purchase was a capital expense that is budgeted for and approved in the city’s five-year financial plan.

The truck is expected to be delivered in 2015.

Tourism agreement approved, Gold Country rep deferred

City council approved a one-year agreement with the Nicola Valley Heritage Society (NVHS) to operate the Baillie House Visitor Information Booth.

A one-year agreement was chosen instead of a two-year agreement due to the uncertainty surrounding the operation of the provincial visitor centre with Destination BC located near Coquihalla Highway Exit 286.

The Destination BC visitor centre will continue offering services for the next year, but beyond that there is no guarantee.

Under the agreement with NVHS, the society will maintain the Baillie property at 2202 Voght St. as the Visitor Information Booth, provide staff and volunteers to operate it and pay all additional costs associated with having the booth on the site.

The City of Merritt will pay about $36,000 under the agreement, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2015.

City council was also asked to choose a councillor to sit on the board of directors with Gold Country, but deferred that decision to another meeting.