October 28, 2021
Seeking to create safer and more enjoyable public parks, the City of Starkville, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Starkville Utilities, has commissioned a lighting audit focusing on four of the city’s most popular recreational spaces.
Included are J.L. King Memorial Park, Patriot’s Park, George Evans Park and Moncrief Park.
The four-week audit currently underway is funded through TVA’s Comprehensive Services Program, which provides engineering and technical assistance to member utilities for a range of energy-usage concerns, including recommendations for lighting system upgrades and improvements. The program also provides funding to implement solutions.
“Lighting plays a critical role in the safety and enjoyment of our parks, and information gained from the audit will help us make improvements in this area going forward,” said Terry Kemp, general manager of Starkville Utilities. “The lighting audit is another example of the benefits our long-term TVA partnership provides for the city and for Starkville Utilities customers.”
During their audit, engineers will identify areas that could benefit from more lighting and consider the use of devices such as timers, photocells, motion sensors and other cost-effective technologies to improve lighting coverage, quality and efficiency.
“Lighting creates safer environments in our parks and also helps deter vandalism,” said Brandon Doherty, director of the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department. “The parks being audited are open seven days a week, from early in the morning until 9 p.m., and residents use walkways, trails and recreational facilities at all hours. Better lighting will improve visibility and provide peace of mind that our parks are safe places for everyone to enjoy.”
The city will make audit results public and share details of lighting improvement plans for each park, which will be implemented by Starkville Utilities.
“TVA’s mission is to make life better for our communities, and this project does that,” said Josh Wooten, customer regional manager for TVA in Starkville. “Our parks are a valuable asset that improves quality of life. Investing in efficient lighting technologies allow us to have it all – parks that are more usable, environmentally friendly and safer while saving money.”
Starkville Utilities is a municipally owned and operated electric and water utility, serving more than 14,000 residences, businesses and industries in Starkville as well as the state’s largest institution of higher learning, Mississippi State University.