At first, Steve Norris thought it was just a temporary glitch when the lights in Hudson River Park starting coming on at noon. But it persisted. Concerned that energy was being wasted, the Hudson St. resident contacted the park’s managing agency, the Hudson River Park Trust, about it, but so far there has been no change.
“I have been bugging them for the last six months — and we’re talking over 100 lights that come on every day around noon and are on for four, five and six hours that they don’t need to be on,” Norris said. “I’ve done a rough calculation and I’d say the park has wasted $6,000 to $8,000 this summer having lights on that shouldn’t be on.”
Christopher Martin, the Trust’s spokes-person, said the Trust is aware of the problem and that it involves a sensor that detects light levels to turn on the lights. Adjusting the sensor is complicated, he said, and involves more than merely situating it in the right location.
“It’s a problem we’ve had with the sensor,” Martin said. “It needs adjustment and placement. It’s kind of complex.”
