Home > Down to Business > News > Downtown District & Alliant Energy Partner to Promote Energy Efficient Holiday Lighting
Downtown District & Alliant Energy Partner to Promote Energy Efficient Holiday Lighting
Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The Downtown District is pleased to announce a new partnership with Alliant Energy that will save the City both money and energy this holiday season. Downtown Cedar Rapids will serve as a pilot program for Alliant Energy’s community wide campaign to promote the use of L.E.D (Light Emitting Diode) lights, a product that consumes 75% less energy than regular holiday lights.
In preparation for downtown’s Fire & Ice Festival on December 5, 56 trees across 1st, 2nd, 3rd Avenues SE will be draped with white L.E.D lights, along with the skywalks over the Holiday DeLite parade route on 2nd and 3rd Avenues SE.
“We’re pleased to be able to be able to help light Downtown Cedar Rapids for the holidays in efficient L.E.D. lights,” says Linda Mattes, Director, Energy Efficiency and Renewables. “We hope that the bright, festive lighting encourages our customers to select L.E.D. holiday lighting for their homes as well.” Alliant Energy recently announced cash rewards for customers installing L.E.D. holiday lighting. Customers can apply for a $5 cash reward for their purchase of qualifying L.E.D. light strings.
Additionally, for the first time, downtown holiday décor will cover the Downtown District on both the east and west side of the Cedar River. The Downtown District commissioned Brucemore's Cutting Gardens to decorate all planters on the west side of the Cedar River and maintenance staff will be decorating trees with festive holiday tinsel. New Downtown District banners will also be hung on both the east and west side of downtown in mid to late November 2009.
“The Downtown District will feature three times more holiday lights this year with a cost saving of around $2,000 to the City of Cedar Rapids,” said Vanessa Solesbee, Operations Director for the Downtown District.
The holiday lights in downtown Cedar Rapids will officially be turned on the day after Thanksgiving. For full schedule of downtown holiday activities visit www.downtowncr.org. For more information on L.E.D. lighting visit www.alliantenergy.com/holiday.
The Fire & Ice Festival is a partnership between the Downtown District and Freedom Festival.