By Teresa Williams

teresa.williams@gaflnews.com

THOMASVILLE — The City of Thomasville is in the process of lighting up the walking path at Cherokee Lake Park.

Bruce Whittington, director of electric engineering and operations for Thomasville Utilities, said Wednesday crews are currently installing 57 lamp posts, primarily focused on illuminating the one-mile track.

“The project resides in the public works budget so we are helping the department with the lights,” he said. “We began focusing on getting the project done in the last month or two, but actual installation began two weeks ago. We broke the area into three sections and lights will be operated by a photoelectric time control for each section.”

Whittington said $50,000 was budgeted for 52 lights and there is an additional $20,000 left in a Georgia Department of Natural Resources grant for park improvements. Five more lights were added to the project to ensure adequate lighting around the track, but he said there should be enough funds to complete the project.

“It costs just over $1,000 per light,” Whittington said.

Nineteen decorative posts with light fixtures on the top have been installed, thus far, meaning approximately a third of the project is complete, he said.

Rudy Thompson, electric lineman with the utilities department, said installing a light is a several step process, including digging the hole, underground trench work for wiring and setting up the pole.

“It usually takes a couple of hours to install one pole,” he said.

The mile-long track and its bridges were completed in early 2008 using city budgeted funds and grant monies.

Gwen Ridley, public works director, said the lights were included in the original plan for improvements at the park.