If Martinborough Square looks lighter and brighter at night, it’s all thanks to the repair of the 17 inground uplights which have been replaced with new fittings and are now fully functional.  

“We are very happy to share the good news of the improved lighting in Martinborough Square, which is helping address safety concerns in the community. It’s great to see the beauty of the majestic trees lit up in the square once again,” says James O’Connor, Manager, Community Operations.  

The repairs make walking in the dark safer while retaining full compliance with the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve Association (WDSRA) criteria. The kelvins of the new lights has been lowered to make sure they meet the Dark Sky regulations.  

WDSRA is accredited as a dark sky reserve by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) and exists to reduce light pollution and the adverse impacts it can have on humans and the environment.  

“The WDSRA was consulted with throughout the uplight repair process to make sure we met their regulation requirements,” says O’Connor.   

“The contractors were Cotter & Stevens, whose staff enjoyed being part of this project, which helps the community.”  

The next repair will be the four upstanding lantern lights in Martinborough Square. This work is anticipated to be completed over the winter period and is part of the council’s ongoing work to increase safety in the square by improving the lighting.