City bucks for “twinkle lights”

North Park residents will soon get a lot of twinkle in their eyes, thanks to $5200 in “community programs and services” funding from the city. The San Diego City Council on March 15 passed (as an agenda consent item) a request from North Park Organization of Businesses, Inc., for the twinkle-light installation. The organization is popularly known as North Park Main Street, a business improvement district.

The 240 LED twinkle lights will be installed in 16 trees along both sides of University Avenue in North Park, between Granada Avenue and 30th Street. The lighting will remain year-round and will be “maintained by a professional lighting expert.” Repairs to existing electrical boxes will be covered by the North Park MAD (maintenance assessment district).

The vote was unanimous (with District 9 councilmember Marti Emerald absent). According to a city-council docket supporting document, “...the light display will draw attention to and bring vibrancy to the thriving commercial district.”

In a statement, District 3 councilmember Todd Gloria said he was “happy to support funding for the twinkle-light project. The lighting will improve public safety...and will serve the community’s goals of creating walkable and inviting public spaces.”

The Downtown San Diego Partnership previously paid for hundreds of twinkle lights for trees in the business districts through its “Clean & Safe Program.” The organization's spokesperson, Christina Chadwick, said, “There are more than 750 trees with lights in downtown. The installation cost for the trees is a couple hundred thousand dollars.”

The city council also approved funding of $1800 to El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association for their Mid-City I-805 holiday bridge-lights project. That project is a joint effort by the Adams Avenue, El Cajon Boulevard, North Park, and City Heights business improvement associations.

The project covers seven bridges in the North Park/Mid-City areas, between Adams Avenue and Landis Street. The amount funds the ongoing annual lighting display on the bridges. It will pay for installation, city permit, electricity, and bulb replacement.