Bangor’s parking garage debuted its new decorative lights Thursday night as part of an effort to make the downtown more festive.
Residents and visitors can expect the lights at the Pickering Square garage to change colors depending on the holiday or season. They also give the city a chance to light up in celebration of causes including Pride month in June and Breast Cancer Awareness in October, said Betsy Lundy, Downtown Bangor Partnership’s executive director.
Bangor, the Downtown Bangor Partnership and Versant Power collaborated to bring the lights to the parking garage’s exterior.
The lights are intended to make Bangor more festive and safe. They also encourage people to come downtown, where they will use facilities such as the parking garage and Bangor Area Transit Center, which are major assets, Lundy said.
Another light installation that came downtown in December 2021 is “Hopeful,” created by Yarmouth-based artist Charlie Hewitt.
“I think everybody agrees that more lighting is better in an urban environment,” Lundy said. “It gives people an added sense of safety and comfort.”
The parking garage lights will debut at sunset Thursday. A launch party with a DJ and refreshments is also scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in Pickering Square.
People tend to complain about the parking garage and transit center, but they allow people to visit downtown and stop by businesses, Lundy said. Those involved with bringing the lighting project to life want to change the conversation about those facilities, which should be celebrated, she said.
Versant Power is providing the lighting. Bangor and the Downtown Bangor Partnership funded a project to put electricity onto the front of the garage, which did not exist previously, Lundy said. The total project cost was not immediately available Thursday.
