New park lighting at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve a win for families and dog walkers
A major upgrade of Elizabeth Bridge Reserve in Kilsyth has delivered new amenities and infrastructure for the Yarra Ranges community including outdoor exercise equipment, a new nature play space, sports pavilion, off-lead dog park, sealed pathways and Leadsun solar park lighting and car park lights.
Client
Yarra Ranges Council
Traditional Custodians
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin
Community Consultation calls for park lighting
Elizabeth Bridge Reserve is a beautifully landscaped park with wetlands, lots of shade and sealed trails perfect for walkers and children learning to ride a bike. Located within the Yarra Ranges approximately 37km north-east of Melbourne’s CBD, the reserve is also home to Bridge House, a community facility used by a local disability group.
A popular spot for young families and dog walkers during the day, the park was dark and uninviting at night. Following extensive consultation with the community, park lighting and car park lights were identified as a key component of the Elizabeth Bridge Reserve Masterplan adopted by Council in 2020.
Project Challenges
A long-term project interrupted by lockdowns
Yarra Ranges Council’s ambitious masterplan for Elizabeth Bridge Reserve mapped out extensive upgrades for the park over a ten-year period. For the park lighting and car park lights component, this translated into a three-stage programme delivered over several years. The long project duration and unexpected interruptions caused by COVID meant excellent project management, planning and communication was
required to keep the project on track.
Overshadowing issues
A thick canopy of native and exotic tree species further complicated the project. Leadsun Business Development Manager Walter Terella explained, “the heavy treeline was a big challenge; it meant the area
was pitch black at night, but created overshadowing issues for our solar panels during the day.”
The Leadsun Solar Park Lights Solution
Leadsun worked closely with Yarra Ranges Council to design and install a custom solar lighting system for Elizabeth Bridge Reserve. No connection to the electricity grid was required and multiple Remote Energy Storage Systems (RESS) were used so the solar engine (including solar panel and onboard battery) could be located away from trees to avoid overshadowing.
Eight lights were installed during the first stage of the project in March 2022 and the final stage of the project was completed on schedule in July 2023.
In all, 43 lights were installed using a combination of Leadsun AE3 solar lights for park lighting and larger AE6 units for the car park lighting.
Yarra Ranges Families see the light
The new park lights at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve deliver on Yarra Ranges Council’s commitment to quality infrastructure and liveable places, helping to ensure the health, safety, resilience, inclusivity and connectedness of the community. Speaking to the Mount Evelyn Star Mail, Yarra Ranges Walling Ward Councillor, Len Cox said, “I am thrilled to witness the completion of most of the short and medium-term projects outlined in the Master Plan, which will enhance the reserve’s accessibility, offer additional amenities for everyone, and complement the existing facilities making the reserve a welcoming space for people of all ages and abilities.”
Solar pathway lighting products used
- Solar module series – AE6
- Solar size – 60W – 400W
- LED output programming LED output programming: 5 hours full, dim until dawn
Lighting Applications
Lighting Compliance
AS1158.3.1.202 PP5
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this project was undertaken, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
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