THE DOWNTOWN CANOPY OF LIGHTS now features 4,000 LED light bulbs, according to city officials.
It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas in Cairo as the city’s holiday decorations have been put up by utility crews.
Those who have noticed something a little different about the downtown canopy of lights are not mistaken.
The first phase of a major refurbishment of the Cairo trademark has been completed , according to Rod Prince, energy services director for the City of Cairo.
The city has budgeted $50,000 for the rewiring of the canopy and transitioning it to LED lights.
Already, $9,000 has been spent to purchase 4,000 new LED colored light bulbs that make up the “canopy of color.”
Prince says the city hopes to complete the rewiring portion of the refurbishment project by spring 2021.
“I’m anxious to see how it will look,” says Cairo city manager Chris Addleton. He says LED will have a different look from the former incandescent light bulbs that have been used for decades.
Whatever the illumination will be, Addleton says the new bulbs will last much, much longer and are more energy efficient.
“Once the canopy is rewired, it will also be significantly lighter in overall weight, which has been a concern of ours,” the city manager said.
Addleton says the city will illuminate the canopy and the other decorations on Thanksgiving evening and they will remain lit through New Years. Traditionally, the lights are turned on Thanksgiving night and then are not relit until the night of the Cairo Christmas Parade, but due to COVID-19 there will be no Yule parade this year.
