New lighting brightening up Calgary Tower

Testing of the new lighting system at the Calgary Tower will continue through Wednesday.

A centerpiece of Calgary’s downtown core will be getting brighter.

A whole new exterior lighting system has been completely installed at the Calgary Tower.

The LED lighting system will now be tested throughout the day on Wednesday.

R. Scott Hutcheson, the CEO of Aspen Properties, the company that owns the tower, says the new system was designed to enhance the appearance of the tower while saving energy and costs. "The new system is more energy efficient, more cost efficient, and it includes a number of new features such as the addition of exciting programmable light shows."

Hutcheson says the lighting can be controlled and directed in a manner that improves the tower's appearance without interfering with nearby offices, hotels, or restaurants.

"The lights will also allow the Calgary Tower to celebrate holidays in a much more colourful way, cheer on professional sports teams, support local festivals, and raise awareness of important local and national causes," Hutcheson said.

The tower was built in 1967 and the new lights are the first major upgrade to the structure since a glass floor balcony was installed in 2005.

Morning commuters will be able to enjoy a light show on the tower during their commute and the lights will come on again at sunset and continue to midnight with a six minute show every hour on the hour.

A schedule for special lightshows will soon be available on the Calgary Tower's website.