Light Up Langevin CLOSE

December 23, 2009

 

Langevin to light the way along RiverWalk Promenade

Bridge LED lighting system to debut December 23

 

Calgary… Although the city rarely sees the Northern Lights, Calgarians will now be treated to a nightly light show as the Langevin Bridge unveils its new lighting display on December 23rd at 6:00 PM.  The 110 year old bridge has been outfitted with state-of-the-art light emitting diode (LED) lighting that will turn the structure into a piece of moving modern art.

The Light Up Langevin project is one of the first steps forward in the development of the RiverWalk project, a six year initiative to redevelop four kilometers along the Bow and Elbow Rivers to allow Calgarians to reconnect with the natural beauty of the rivers.  The same LED technology used on the bridge will also be featured at various focal points throughout the RiverWalk promenade, providing not only an incredible spectacle in the East Village but effective lighting to keep the area safe.

The LED lighting system, supplied by Montreal-based Lumenpulse, is composed of 156 different light assemblies that highlight every beam and truss of Langevin bridge.  Lighting units are controlled by a computer program that can establish a light sequence (a light show) for each individual light or for the entire assembly unit, allowing infinite display possibilities. Each assembly unit has the ability to display over 16 million different colours, providing the bridge with a shade for every season, occasion or celebration.

“We’re proud that our RiverWalk project will mark the Alberta debut for this technology.  In addition to providing elevated lighting on the bridge, the ability to program colors and sequencing makes this installation an interesting and interactive asset for East Village,” said Chris Ollenberger, CEO and President of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), “One of our key objectives for the Riverwalk project is to foster public safety along the river banks and we believe we have achieved this and more with this LED technology.”

Despite a total of over 5600 LEDs being used, the bridge lighting is expected to consume just 22,000 kilowatt hours per year, roughly equivalent to the power consumption of just three Albertan households.  The LED lighting has an expected lifespan of 100,000 hours which equates to approximately 35 years of operation if the lights run for eight hours every day.

A festive light show programmed by the CMLC will be displayed during the holiday season.  In addition, a special six hour New Year’s Eve light show has been developed to help ring in the new year.

CMLC is working towards developing the East Village into a vibrant community that is well integrated into the downtown core. Some of the major projects of the East Village Master Plan include the creation of the Riverwalk  and the restoration of four heritage buildings within the East Village. To learn more about the East Village redevelopment project, visit www.calgarymlc.ca.

 

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For more information, contact:

Susan Veres

Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation

Ph. (403) 718 0300

Email sveres@calgarymlc.ca