IT’S LIGHTS ON!
THE PECO CHALLENGE . . .RELIGHTING BOATHOUSE ROW NEARS COMPLETION
Relighting Event Scheduled for June 30

PHILADELPHIA (June 17, 2005) -- Following more than five months of work, a June 30 date is set to relight Philadelphia’s famed boathouses with new, energy efficient LED technology. A public viewing area, complete with kids’ activities, giveaways and more will be held along Martin Luther King Drive (formerly West River Drive) from 7 p.m. until LIGHTS ON! at 9 p.m.

The relighting effort, launched in January, was part of The PECO Challenge . . .Relighting Boathouse Row, a public campaign to raise necessary project and maintenance funds. The project is a joint effort of PECO Energy, the Fairmount Park Commission, the Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia (comprising ten rowing clubs on Boathouse Row), and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 98.

“This project was truly a team effort,” said Denis O’Brien, PECO Energy president. “As with all major construction projects, things develop along the way and flexibility is a must to ensure success. This project was no different, and without the continued teamwork and determination of a volunteer committee – we would not be where we are today. The new lights will be along Boathouse Row for a long, long time. I am sure the final product will be something that all involved will be proud of and the community will be excited about.”

PECO provided a challenge grant which helped raise an additional $200,000 from businesses, individuals, and organizations including the William Penn Foundation, City Councilman Michael Nutter, the Sustainable Development Fund, the Philadelphia Foundation, and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.  The Pew Charitable Trusts this week announced a $50,000 grant that pushed the campaign over the $200,000 milestone and helped ensure the installation of the new lighting system.  Fundraising will continue to help create a maintenance fund. 

“We are so thrilled to be part of this terrific partnership to restore one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable icons,” said Karen Lloyd Borski, executive director of Fairmount Park Commission.  “Fairmount Park will benefit greatly from the reduced maintenance costs and the new system will ensure that the nighttime view of Boathouse Row always looks great.”

In-kind donations also were key to the project.  Most significant was the donation of labor by IBEW, Local 98. Many other organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy, PWI Engineering, Sirlin, Gallogly and Lesser, Ewing Cole, ZF Consulting, D’Lauro and Rodgers, Fastrack Construction and The University of the Arts also contributed through volunteers and other in-kind support. It is estimated that without this support actual project costs would have risen to more than $1 million.

“The members of IBEW Local 98 are proud to make this significant contribution to the new Boathouse Row,” said John Dougherty, business manager of IBEW Local 98. “This project for us not only showcases our civic pride, but the ability of union craftsmen to build and network a state-of-the-art computerized system that will be recognizable all over the world. As much as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, The Lights at Boathouse Row will be a Philadelphia signature. The partnership created with PECO is further proof that when management and labor work together for the betterment of the City, good things always happen.”

First installed as part of Philadelphia’s bicentennial celebration in 1976, the original lights along Boathouse Row had not been revamped since the mid-eighties. The new LED system is safer, will require less maintenance, and is more energy efficient. The new system is expected to save Fairmount Park about $57,000 a year in bulb replacement and energy costs.

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Based in Philadelphia, PECO Energy is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.5 million electric and 460,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania.  In 2004, the company delivered 37.5 million megawatt hours (mWh) of electricity and 87.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas to residential, business and institutional customers. PECO’s energy delivery services generated $4.49 billion in revenue for Exelon. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) builds the region’s economy and image through destination marketing to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676

2005
 

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