New lights shine on Chicago's parks.

Chicago's parks have seen the light -- $18.5 million in new indoor and outdoor lights which are improving visibility and security while producing savings in energy and maintenance costs. "The Chicago Park District is the first in the country to install this type of system," said General Superintendent Forrest Claypool. "Chicago parks -- indoors and outdoors -- are brighter and safer. And the money we save each year will go toward neighborhood programs and services."

The new indoor and outdoor lights and light fixtures are expected to save nearly 30 million kilowatt hours, more than $2 million in energy savings, and $500,000 in maintenance costs each year.

The lights -- combined with the 100 police officers assigned since 1994 to exclusively patrol Chicago's parks -- have helped lower crime and put park patrons at ease. A recent survey published in the Chicago Tribune showed a 39 percent increase in the number of residents who feel their local park is safer.

"It's imperative that people feel safe visiting their local parks," said Claypool. "We've seen parks transformed from virtual ghost towns into vibrant community centers teeming with activity."

The Park District's lighting program kicked off in 1995, when older, inefficient lights at park field houses, nanatoriums and gymnasiums were replaced with new, energy-saving bulbs and fixtures. For example, 45,000 F-40 florescent lights were replaced with T-8 lamps with electronic ballasts: the new fixtures provide 40 percent more light while using only 20 percent of the energy. In park gymnasiums and nanatoriums, mercury vapor, incandescent and fluorescent lights have been replaced with metal halide lighting. The District's 3,000 incandescent exit signs have been replace with LED exit signs, which provide $200,000 per year in energy and maintenance savings.

Then, in 1996, the Park District moved its energy savings program outdoors to not only save energy and improve visibility, but to also improve night security. Bright outdoor lights along walkways, service roads, parking lots and athletic fields were installed at 160 parks. The entire exterior light program will be completed by the end of the year.

Among the highlights were park walkway lights retrofitted with high-pressure sodium fixtures which provide 30 to 200 percent more light while using 20 percent less energy. Additional, shorter "bollard" lights were added at some parks to further emphasize main walkways and entrance areas to recreation centers, swimming pools and other park facilities. Historic pole-top fixtures (a pole with a globe on top) have been retrofitted to maximize their useful light output.

Parking lot light has increased up to 200 percent, and at athletic fields the lighting intensity jumps between 20 and 100 percent.

"The contracts were competitively bid and awarded to Sylvania Lighting Services, who has managed to implement the 70,000-lamp interior light program, and 13,000 outdoor fixture program with minimal disruption to park programs," said Rob Jones, project manager of the Resource Conservation Program.

The outdoor lights switch on at dark and off when the parks close at 11 p.m. If there is any report of suspicious activity, the lights can be reactivated by a switch at the local park field house, by computer at the region office (the Chicago Park District is divided into six regions), and by phone by local police.

An automated lighting control system will turn activity lights on and off automatically according to user-defined time-of-day schedules or astronomical clock. Control is provided by intelligent control panels which are wired to existing contractors that switch the power to exterior lighting fixtures. Wall-mounted override switches will allow park personnel to manually turn the activity fights on or off before or after the scheduled time.

Lights can also be activated from a touch-tone telephone allowing law enforcement personnel to control park lighting for security reasons. Police simply call a local number, enter a four-digit code, press the star key (*) for "on" or the pound key (#) for "off," and then enter the number of hours for the fights to stay on or off.

The park lights can also be controlled by park management from a remote location with the use of a personal computer (PC) equipped with an auto-dial modem. Operators will be able to select a park then monitor and control lights using specialized software which will show the status of activity fighting on real-time graphic displays of the park.

The automated lighting control system is designed to enhance park security with improved activity lighting. In addition, the system should reduce electrical charges by optimizing fighting usage and make it easier to monitor lighting fixtures.

The result of adding police patrols and improving lighting has been a dramatic improvement in park security. "There is no greater priority than the safety of Chicago's schools, parks and neighborhoods," said Mayor Daley at a ceremony unveiling the recent improvements. "Residents should feel safe visiting their local park for various programs and activities, and there should be a deterrent to after-hours criminal activity."

"The Chicago Police Department welcomes these new security measures by the Park District," said Chicago Police Superintendent Matt Rodriguez. "It is yet another in our consistent efforts with the community to help prevent crime and make the parks safer for the enjoyment of all residents."