Lights Out In Downtown Brantford

I usually avoid downtown Brantford as much as possible. But tonight I had occasion to drive through it. What struck me was the large number of streetlights that were not functioning, particularly at the intersection of Colborne and Queen St., where on the south side of Colborne St. (the boarded up side) there must have been about eight lights in a row that weren't on at all. Further on was little better with a number of lights out and most of the rest only at about half brightness. Dalhousie Street wasn't much better either. In fact, in all there were probably only about a handful of lights that were fully lit up. After spending (actually wasting) millions of dollars trying to attract people to the downtown, leaving the streets so dimly lit would seem to have the opposite effect. It sure won't instill a sense of safety in those brave enough to venture down to evening activities at Harmony Square or to the returning university students.

Maybe it is to match the old saying that the last one out gets to turn off the lights but in this case one light is extinguished for each business as it flees the downtown. Or maybe the lights are that way purposely to match the dimness at City Hall.