La Conner Marina upgrades with LED lighting

 


Having recently celebrated its golden anniversary, La Conner Marina is looking to remain a bright shining light on the local scene well into the future.

The Port of Skagit marked a major milestone by completing upgrades to LED lighting at the marina, Port Communications Director Linda Tyler said Thursday.

“While the Port’s maintenance teams have been upgrading all Port facilities to LED lighting as needed when old lights burn out,” said Tyler, “a proactive and complete upgrade at the marina began in earnest several months ago to take advantage of bulk purchasing discounts and rebates from Puget Sound Energy.

The retrofit offers several positives for the Port, its tenants and guest boaters, Tyler said.

“The LED lighting has a noticeably brighter light, making it safer to walk the docks and ramps after dark,” she said, “and LEDs don’t fade in intensity or yellow as they age like fluorescent bulbs are known to do. Plus, the LED life expectancy is six to 10 times longer than fluorescent lights.”

Lighting upgrades were also completed in parking lots, street lights, the marina maintenance shop, RV park, storage units, buildings and throughout the property.

“Perhaps the most measurable benefit of this upgrade,” Tyler said, “is the operating costs of LED in comparison to fluorescent lights. In total, 273 lights in the north and south basins alone were upgraded to LED, for an estimated savings of more than $2,500 annually, just in power consumption. The decrease in ongoing maintenance and labor demands brought about by the longer life span of the LED bulbs will also provide additional savings to the Port.”

The lighting project is part of a five-year, $5 million investment in capital projects to improve and rehabilitate marina docks and facilities designed to provide safe, secure moorage in a comfortable boating community setting, Port officials said in correspondence last week outlining 2023 moorage rate and miscellaneous charge increases.

“The Port has substantially increased the annual maintenance budget of the marina to approximately $1 million per year to catch up on deferred maintenance and improve the user experience,” it said.

Port leadership said that in the last year enhanced locks on dock ramps and improved wi-fi equipment have been installed.

Monthly marina rates going into effect April 1 will match the end-of-year Consumer Price Index inflation rate of just over eight per cent, according to the Port statement.

“The Port of Skagit Com-mission and staff recognize that this is a substantial increase for our tenants and marina users,” the Port letter stated, “but have determined that the marina needs to stay current with inflation to be successful long term.”

LED upgrades are being made at the Port’s Skagit Regional Airport, Bayview Business Park and the SWIFT Center, said Tyler.

“The Port maintenance team,” she said, “pushed to complete the La Conner Marina LED upgrade ahead of the busy boating season that begins in the spring.”

 

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