Something new is illuminating New London. The city is in the process of installing 42 skinny, rectangle-shaped lights in the downtown area.
Nothing gets a tight knit community talking more than new streetlights popping up in town.
"I like the old ones more,” said Hollis, of New London, referring to the traditional streetlamps also on Bank Street.
"The new lights are awesome, they add another element of safety especially at nighttime,” said Jason Simms, of New London.
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So far, 30 of the planned 42 new streetlights are installed on Bank Street already.
“These lights are part of a beautification plan that the downtown business association building owners have been wanting for decades now,” said New London’s Director of Economic Development and Planning Felix Reyes.
Reyes says the new lights serve as an additional layer of illumination, but also as art installations.
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“They change colors. I mean, at the end of the day, they bring different themes and vibrancy to our downtown based on what's going on seasonal, what's happening that day,” said Reyes.
Locals like KP are approaching the lights with curiosity, who laughed that she “wouldn’t have realized it was a light without it lit up." But – she says she likes the sleek look.
“We have all these very classy old school buildings, so I think it’ll definitely modernize it,” she said.
“I’m with it, I think it elevates everything,” said Steven Elci, of New London.
But that modern look some residents love -- is an exact point of contention for others.
"I’m all about the vintage,” said Hollis. “Out with the new in with the old."
"I really don’t care for them. I don’t feel like they match the aesthetic of downtown,” said another New London woman, who didn’t want to be identified.
You can find these new streetlights right next to the old streetlights placed on Bank Street. The city says that’s done by design, to not compete with the old streetlights and the historic downtown.
The city says is the goal is for these new streetlights to be up and running by the end of the summer.
