Residents in Southwood Lakes will protect the aesthetics of their neighbourhood.
More than 500 of the light posts were installed in the neighbourhood bordered by North Talbot Road and Howard Avenue in the early 1990's with council's approval — just over half of those lights are in need of immediate replacement.
New decorative light posts cost between $6,500 and $8,000 — far more than the nearly $4,000 the city pays for a standard concrete post.
Patrick Burke is the Secretary of the Southwood Lakes Community Development Association, which represents 239 members and their families.
"The decorative posts are part of the character and the ambiance of Southwood Lakes and it's that character of the subdivision that led myself and many of the residents to purchase dwellings in Southwood Lakes and none of us what to see that character diminish in any way, shape or form," says Burke.
He says the residents of Southwood Lakes have paid for the decorative fixtures.
"Our members pay a significant level of taxation and indeed all of the home owners in Southwood Lakes pay a significant level of taxes and up to this point those taxes were understood to include the replacement of decorative light posts," says Burke. "That was the deal at the completion of the subdivision."
Resident John Chisholm spoke to council on behalf of 500 residents who are also calling for the continuation of the installation of the decorative light poles.
Chisholm told council the existing standard needs to be maintained and the lights and poles are an integral part of the subdivision.
Ward 1 Councillor Fred Francis brought forward a motion to have administration come back with a "light-for-light" replacement policy citywide that was unanimously approved by council Monday.
"This recommendation is a reasonable one in encapsulates the city, ornamental lights everywhere, obviously it's reasonable, it's a compromise and we can move it forward to next month for discussion and hopefully we can settle it, once and for all," says Francis.
Councillor Chris Holt says the intention was always to create a policy, not to deny the replacement of ornamental light posts in Southwood Lakes.
"I apologize if you were under the impression that city council did not want to do that, so that was never the intention," says the Ward 4 councillor. "It is just as Councillor Francis and Councillor Kaschak has said, it's just a level of frustration because we did not have a guiding document to get us there."
The policy will be fair to everyone, according to Ward 9 Councillor Kieran McKenzie.
"The concept of replacing light-for-light is a concept that I support, I'm going to continue to support and again as I said, I think we were just endorsing the standing committee recommendation but I'll support the motion that's been brought forward by Councillor Francis," says McKenzie.
A report will come back to council to shape the policy next month.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi