Stirling council to decide whether to spend $90,000 to reinstall lights for Scarborough clock tower

The City of Stirling will decide in its first council meeting of 2024 whether to spend $90,000 to reinstall coloured LED lights for the Scarborough Clock Tower. The motion was originally put forward by former councillor Felicity Farrelly in August, with the report presented at the community and resources committee meeting on Tuesday. The installation of the coloured LED lights for the clock tower at Scarborough Beach is expected to cost $75,000 with the council recommended to budget an extra $15,000. Despite already including the colour-changing lights before the 2017 Scarborough Beach redevelopment by Development WA, the clock tower was relocated a short distance away without the colour-changing lights. The report stated that the $90,000 reinstallation of the lights will allow the city to support specific events and causes such as the 16 Days in WA campaign to stop violence against women. The city is currently not able to take part in such events as it does not have the necessary light-up infrastructure in place. The report also looked at other locations in the area for coloured LED lighting, but found the clock tower to be the most feasible. “Opportunities to install coloured up-lighting (ground lights) across the Scarborough Beach Precinct have been investigated and although feasible, there appears to be limited opportunity to reflect on to existing natural or built form,” the report said. “The one exception is the Scarborough Beach Clock Tower that was previously lit up with coloured LED lighting.” Before the Scarborough Beach redevelopment, the amphitheatre also had colour-change lighting, however the report said that due to safety concerns surrounding general lighting levels and stair usage at night, additional white lighting was installed during the redevelopment. The coloured lighting was “washed out” due to the stronger white light and the coloured lighting was removed. The report also highlighted the Scarborough Beach pool lift atrium, which has permanent green and gold feature lighting, would cost about “$700 per event” to change the lighting colour — requiring a lighting consultant due to it’s complex lighting control. The report proposed for the replacement of those complex lighting controls to allow for colours to be changed as requested. The city council will decide whether or not to fund the clock tower lighting at its first council meeting of the year on Tuesday, February 13.