EOLS has New Lights Just in Time for This Year’s Event

By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

UNION – After many months of prep work and installation the new arena lights at the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show grounds are up and on.

Earlier this year, officials with the Eastern Oregon Livestock show announced that they had been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation to help with the installation of the new exterior lighting for the arena. At that time, it was noted that the current lighting system that was in place was 40 years old and outdated. In addition, replacement lights for the fixtures were no longer available, making the new lights necessary.

In a release from the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in January 2023 it was noted that “A new lighting system will reduce energy consumption and increase safety for both our livestock and athletes. New technology lowers energy consumption by at least 85% over the current system. Increased illumination of the arena and track areas will provide enhanced safety for all of us. The new lighting system will allow us to use the arena more throughout the year. Another advantage will be reduced maintenance. Less maintenance is needed in new systems compared to the old systems, further reducing costs. The overall cost of the lighting project will be $168,000.00. The EOLS has raised over $100,000 in grants, fundraisers, and in-kind donations.”

A video of the new lights being turned on can be found on the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/reel/1453266588774413/?s=single_unit