Educational 3 July 2025
In cities big and small, parks are among the places we cherish most. They offer space to move, connect, and unwind—a welcome break from dense development, busy roads, and long workdays. In cities like New York and Chicago, where apartment living is the norm, they’re especially vital.
But here’s the catch: while parks are designed for public use, many people can only visit them in the evenings—after work, after dinner, or once the day’s obligations (and the heat) subside. Unfortunately, that’s right about the time many parks in the U.S. shut down. Gates close, paths empty, and our chance to enjoy them slips away.
It doesn’t have to be this way. And in many parts of the world, it’s not. From Japan’s lantern-lit gardens to lively European plazas, parks abroad often stay open well into the evening. Culture and geography play a role—Americans tend to live in larger homes, farther from parks—but lighting, or a lack of it, is a major factor.
When parks go dark, they feel off-limits. Darkness creates a sense of unease and, in many people’s minds, invites trouble. But lighting (especially well-designed solar lighting!) can help shift that narrative, turning parks into safe, inviting, and lively spaces, even after sunset.
Park lighting requires a thoughtful approach
Making parks safer and more usable at night doesn’t mean flooding every corner with bright light. Urban parks serve a wide range of people and purposes, from evening dog walkers to competitive pickleball players to kids on the swing set. Lighting that works well for one might feel intrusive or out of place for another.
Overpowered lights can create glare, diminish the atmosphere, and even make spaces feel less safe. They can spill into nearby homes, disrupt sleep, and draw complaints. And then there are the non-human neighbors: parks are habitats too, and bright, always-on lighting can interfere with the natural rhythms of birds, insects, and other nocturnal species.
Why traditional lighting falls short
Parks, by nature, tend to sit outside the reach of existing electrical infrastructure. Most weren’t designed with lighting in mind and adding it after the fact can be surprisingly complicated.
Installing grid-powered lights can mean trenching through paved paths, mature root systems, or underground utility lines—a process that’s messy, expensive, and disruptive to both the natural environment and park users.
The costs add up quickly. Between trenching, wiring, and site restoration, traditional lighting projects can quickly blow past initial budgets. Add in utility bills, rising electricity rates, and long-term maintenance, and the expenses keep growing.
At the same time, more cities are recognizing the impact of light pollution. Inefficient fixtures and poorly designed systems that spill light into surrounding areas not only waste energy or frustrate residents, but they also disrupt ecosystems and affect the health of local wildlife.
A smarter solution: Solar!
Solar lighting offers a way around many of these challenges. Because it’s off-grid and self-contained, solar requires no trenching or wiring. That means lights can be installed wherever they’re needed, without tearing up lawns, paths, or amenities.
It’s also more cost-effective. Without major infrastructure work or utility fees, installation is faster and far less expensive. And once installed, solar lights generate their own power—free from the sun!—and generally require less maintenance than many grid-tied systems.
Modern solar systems like Sol’s are also smarter than ever. Many include motion sensors and custom schedules that provide full light when it’s needed and scale back when it’s not, improving energy efficiency and environmental sensitivity.
Plus, they look good. Whether it’s high-powered court lights or architectural bollards, today’s solar systems blend beautifully with natural surroundings, adding to the atmosphere rather than taking away from it.
Brighter nights, better parks
Parks don’t stop being valuable when the sun goes down, but many become less accessible, less safe, and less inviting without the right lighting. Solar lighting offers cities a smart, flexible way to change that. It’s faster to install, easier to maintain, and better for the environment.
As cities grow hotter, evenings are becoming prime time for outdoor life. With solar lighting, we can make our public spaces work better, longer, and for more people. And that’s what we’re all about.
