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There’s no denying the advantages of LEDs over traditional bulbs: LEDs not only reduce the amount of what’s known as “spilled” or wasted light, which is a significant source of urban light pollution, they also, by extension, more clearly define the roads and sidewalks they do shine their light on, thereby helping drivers and pedestrians.

Rather than replacing old bulbs with the new only as they burn out (as a few concerned citizens have suggested), the City is opting for a large-scale, more cost-effective replacement plan that will see the installation of 90,000 fixtures over the course of the next four years.

Besides cost considerations, safety was also taken into account in formulating the replacement plan: according to the City’s official literature on the subject, “mixing two different lighting types (would) create an inconsistent and potentially distracting effect for drivers.”

There’s no doubt that the boundary between new and old bulbs dividing this stretch of road along John Laurie Boulevard is distracting. As one heads west from Brisebois to Brenner Drives, the lights turn from an old-school, effusive yellow to the terse white of the new order.

The boundary marks a progressive change in the illuminated history of Calgary, to be sure. But that won’t stop us from missing the blurry, sodium-powered stars of our childhood, whose nightly appearance signalled to us that it was time to come in from playing outside.