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The Effects Of Outdoor Sports Lighting On The Community

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Can something as common as lighting cause enough contention to divide a community? In New Providence the answer is a resounding “yes.” Without land available for the opening of new athletic fields, there simply are not enough sports fields to meet the needs of the town’s population. In an effort to solve this dilemma, the proposal has been made by the New Providence Partnership for Recreation (NPPR) to install lighting in Lieder Field. The benefits to the community include an increase in hours each day the field may be used at no expense to the taxpayer. Yet, others in the community believe that outdoor sports lighting would have a negative impact on the quality of life in the community, be too costly and would diminish the property value of nearby homes. While athletic field lights have been used in southern New Jersey without these negative impacts that part of the state is significantly more rural than densely populated New Providence. Is athletic field lighting beneficial for the town of New Providence? While there are always benefits as well as negative consequences for community decisions, the benefits of installing athletic field lighting far outweigh the negative ramifications.
Availability of Fields for Residents Use There is a growing need in the community for athletic fields, yet there is not land available to build additional facilities. The NPPR believes installing Lieder Field lighting would allow sports competitions to be held past dusk all year long,

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