2014
Oct. 2, 2017 By Christian Murray
The lights on Sunnyside Arch are about to be replaced after being on and off for years.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer has allocated $15,000 to replace the existing neon lights that have had a history of failure. The lights will be replaced with LED lights that Van Bramer said are easier to maintain and allow for more elaborate lighting displays.
The neon lights were originally affixed to the arch in 2011, then failed for eight months in 2012 and then went down last year.
“Many people reach out to my office and ask me ‘Why don’t they work?” Van Bramer said. He said that many residents want them to work since the arch provides a sense of neighborhood pride.
Van Bramer said he expects the lights will be lit different colors for certain holidays, such as being green for St. Patrick’s Day. He anticipates that the new lights will be installed by the end of the year or by spring of 2018.
There will be a formal announcement of the $15,000 allocation at the Arch at 2 pm Tuesday.
The Sunnyside Arch, which spans 46th Street on the southside of Queens Blvd, has been a neighborhood icon since it was erected in 1983.
