Very soon a contractor will be installing the lighting at George Costa Baseball Complex which Ceres Youth Baseball officials have been clamoring for over the past years.

At last week’s Ceres City Council meeting, members okay receiving a $69,546 grant from the Turlock Irrigation District to go towards the cost of the $178,708 contract with Access Electric, Inc.

The lights will be more energy efficient and replace the outdated, energy-intensive Metal Halide technology. The city is replacing all lighting at the four Smyrna Park ball fields with modern, energy-efficient LED fixtures. This upgrade promises to enhance field visibility and player safety while reducing energy usage and ongoing maintenance costs.

Access Electric, a local Ceres-based contractor, will perform the installation. The lighting equipment will be supplied by L2 Lighting, also based in Ceres.

The new lights will be set up on existing poles. City Engineer Michael Beltran suggested the work would take about two weeks and be wrapped up by October.

The city has to come up with the remaining balance of $109,162.

Beltran said the city has the money in the Recreation fund and also noted that the work has to be performed at the higher prevailing wage as mandated by the state Legislature.