A never-before-seen lighting design is planned for the High Level Bridge between Dec. 21 and 23 to commemorate 125 years of EPCOR supplying power in Edmonton.
The project is being put together by EPCOR and the Edmonton Power Historical Foundation.
It will celebrate 125 years since the first street lights went into service in the city.
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Visually, the design “represents the growth of our city and the role of power and water in it,” EPCOR said in a news release.
“It is unique to other designs you might’ve seen on the bridge because it will give the illusion of constant motion and shimmering.”
“It’s a different way of applying the lights,” EPCOR spokesman Tim le Riche explained.
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Scott Peters, an award-winning lighting designer, production manager and long-time Edmontonian, will create the design. He’s also worked with the Theatre Network, The Silver Skate Festival, International Fringe Festival and The Deep Freeze Festival.
“Using the many EPCOR corporate colours, the design attempts to tell the story of how the biggest little town of Edmonton was powered and watered to eventually grow into what it is today,” Peters explained.
“With the use of the tens of thousands of LED lights on the High Level Bridge, I attempt to show scenes of the flowing water of the mighty North Saskatchewan River, the city slowly growing up, the power of electricity and water, the ever changing colours of our seasons and northern sky, and a look to Edmonton’s future as time marches on.
“This EPCOR lighting design is a constantly moving, shimmering, and changing light show that takes about 30 minutes to complete a cycle,” Peters said.
“Unlike what we are used to seeing on the High Level Bridge, this design is always in motion. Although the lights sometimes move very slowly, and at times may even look static, one just needs to look at one small section for a few seconds to realise that it is indeed always in motion: a very interesting optical illusion.
“It is significant to use the latest in street light technology to represent the anniversary of the very first street lamps in Edmonton. With even better lighting technology on the horizon, and the new Walterdale Bridge about to open, we can only marvel at what our city might look like, all lit up, in the next 125 years.”
In 1891, a group of entrepreneurs built a small power plant on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River and founded the Edmonton Electric and Lighting and Power Company Ltd., which later became EPCOR.
The first street lights in Edmonton went into service Dec. 22, 1891 on Jasper Avenue between 96 Street and 103 Street.
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Major events and special occasions are honoured through different Light the Bridge designs throughout the year. People can also make requests for local, national or international events to be commemorated through bridge lights. Requests must meet the city’s criteria and must be submitted at least three weeks before the suggested date.
The High Level Bridge usually lights up shortly after sunset.
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