St. Edward asks Elgin: Let there be lights

The Elgin City Council plans to vote Wednesday on whether to allow St. Edward Central High School to play Friday night football under Friday night lights.

St. Edward officials have petitioned the city council to allow them to install permanent lights on its football and soccer field.

The Elgin Catholic school has been playing night football games under temporary lights since 1999.

If approved, the lights would be designed and installed by the same Texas company that lit the football stadiums in the movie and television show "Friday Night Lights."

"They would be professionally designed, state-of-the-art lights," St. Edward varsity football coach Mike Rolando said. "They've really designed a great layout."

Earlier this month, Elgin Planning and Development Commission members declined to recommend the project by a 4-3 vote, after listening to objectors during a public comment session.

The commission cited concerns about the effect night games would have on traffic and parking in the residential neighborhood surrounding the field, which runs along Locust and Elm streets and Crosby Court.

The project would "exercise undue detrimental influence on itself and surrounding property," the planning commission report said.

But St. Edward Superintendent the Rev. Edward Seisser said the school already has addressed the concerns of the planning commission.

He also emphasized that while the lights would be new, the night games would not.

St. Edward has received permission from local churches to use their facilities for extra parking, Seisser said.

And, according to Rolando, the new lights would actually decrease disruption because their design allows less light to spill into the neighborhood.

Though some neighbors have expressed concerns, the local neighborhood association supports the project, Seisser said.

"We have a plan to beautify the whole athletic field. This is just the first step," Seisser said. "This is something that's going to help the whole neighborhood."