The TLC, in partnership with the City, receives grant to upgrade lighting and save energy

The TLC, in partnership with the City of Spruce Grove, has received a significant grant to offset the cost of retrofitting facility lights with new energy-saving LED lighting, a project that took over two years from planning to completion, due in part to delays caused by COVID-19.

“We are so thrilled to have finally completed the upgrades, most of them accomplished over the COVID-19 closures, so there was little service disruption to our customers,” says Daniel Beaton, TLC Board Chair.

“It was great to have worked in partnership with the City of Spruce Grove on this project, which will provide energy savings to the TLC for many years to come,” says Beaton.

This project was supported by the Recreation Energy Conservation (REC) Program through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) and provided the opportunity for the TLC, the Tri-Region’s largest recreational facility, to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 372 tonnes/year. Approximately 1200 lights were converted in the upgrade, which will provide yearly energy savings of 655.000 kWh.

In order to apply for the grant, an Energy Assessment was first completed, outlining where the proposed improvements would have the biggest impact. Recreation centres like the TLC generally use more energy than other facilities, due to their size, hours of operation, and the energy required to keep the arenas cold and the pools warm for patrons. The City of Spruce Grove was awarded an energy assessment, which was completed by ATCO in the spring of 2019. A lighting upgrade to LED was identified as the best option to lessen the TLC’s energy consumption within the grant’s parameters.

The total cost of the upgrade was $263,000, of which the REC Program funded approximately two-thirds. The MCCAC is a partnership between the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Government of Alberta.

“The City of Spruce Grove is pleased to support the TLC on this initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the facility more energy-efficient,” says Dean Screpnek, City Manager for the City of Spruce Grove.

This project will provide the TLC cost savings year over year, and aligns with the priorities of the TLC’s municipal owners (Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and Parkland County) in their efforts to curb energy consumption to ensure a bright future for generations to come.

For more information about the MCCAC Recreation Energy Conservation Grant: https://mccac.ca/programs/recreation-energy-conservation-program/