Solar lighting will allow Manteca residents to utilize pickle and basketball courts after the sun goes down.

There has been $50,000 set aside for installing solar lighting at the pickleball/tennis courts on Center Street near downtown and $30,000 for the Woodward Community Park basketball courts.

The funds were earmarked by council members Dave Breitenbucher (for the pickleball courts) and Jose Nuno (for the basketball courts) from the remaining $2.5 million in federal COVID relief funds council members were given the opportunity to allocate a set amount of on an individual basis.

The goal was to use the leftover one-time federal funds after all of the city’s COVID related losses and expenses were covered from the original $13 million plus the city received for amenities the city wouldn’t usually provide.

In some cases, the council members opted to fund part of an endeavor with the city staff charged with looking for other sources of funds to cover the balance.

In other cases, there was full funding allocated.

Solar lighting, besides using renewable energy, also has a lower installation cost.

That is because there is no need to bury wire or arrange for connection to a PG&E line. As such, the ongoing costs are minimal.

It also allows for quicker installation and makes it economically feasible to install lighting away from established power sources.

Technology has evolved to the point solar powered lighting is much more powerful than when it was installed more than 15 years at the rear of the Spreckels Park BMX course for the propose of security.