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News photo by Steve Schulwitz Assistant engineer and Alpena harbor master Shannon Smolinski looks at one of the lights on the separation wall near Alpena harbor. Most of the lights are damaged, so they will be replaced with more subdued lights and help the area achieve a dark sky designation.
ALPENA – Dark Sky Parks are popular for people who enjoy stargazing, photographing at night, or just enjoying a moment of reflection while looking up at the sky.
Next year, part of the port could be recognized as a dark sky park.
A dark sky park is public or private land dedicated to the preservation of the night sky. This is usually done for scientific, educational, and fun purposes and is accomplished by reducing light pollution in the designated area.
The city plans to remove the old separation wall lighting and replace it with smaller, more dimmable lights that reduce the amount of light pollution in the area.
The city recently received a grant from the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan to pay for a portion of the 18 new lights that could cost as much as $ 20,000 to $ 22,000, and the balance is on budget, the assistant engineer and captain said. port Shannon Smolinski.
Other vendors have come up with more proposals and the cost could go down, Smolinski said.
“People like to walk to the end of the catwalk and look over the water,” she said. “We’re on the outskirts of town, so we don’t have to worry about a lot of other lights. “
To be declared a dark sky area, the area must be within a certain lumen limit, which is a measure of light. Smolinski said it was already very dark on the partition wall, especially near the end of it, and once the new lights are installed, the amount of light will drop further.
“You go for an amber light source that is directed downward as much as possible, so that when you look up you aren’t eclipsed or the light is coming down on your face,” she said. declared.
To achieve this, Smolinski said she intends to order light bollards that are around 42 to 46 inches tall, meaning a majority of the light is projected downward, leaving little impact. on the night sky.
“When you look up, you will be able to see above the light source,” she said.
Since becoming a harbor master, Smolinski has spearheaded renovation and long-term planning projects to make the harbor more user-friendly and attractive to visitors. There are many ideas coming from community members, local fishermen and other users, she said.
Smolinski said she hopes the light will be ordered and installed before the end of the city’s current fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
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