Aloe Plaza Lighting Is Too Bright
Aloe Plaza, across Market Street from Union Station, used to be very dark at night — too dark. While Kacie Starr Triplett was Alderman of the 6th Ward new lighting was added. The best that can be said is that it’s no longer dark.
From a distance, the lighting does a good job. Before nobody wanted to be there after dark because it too dark, but now it’a too bright! Trying to get a good photo with Union Station in the background is impossible.
Not sure how much was spent on this lighting, or if it can be modified. It shouldn’t stay like this.
— Steve Patterson
The newer lighting at Aloe Plaza is dreadful. I’m guessing that it was cost prohibitive to restore the original fountain lighting. Each of the individual sculptures had one or two submurged upward facing spotlights trained on it. This created a very dramatic, artistically pleasing light design; specifically created to enhance the beauty of not just the sculptures themselves, but also the fountain as a whole and the surrounding cityscape. It was particularly lovely when the fountain was full, as the submerged lights filtered through the moving water created a gorgeous play of light. It was integral to the overall design. I hope that the light poles are a stop gap measure until a proper restoration can be made. The Meeting of the Rivers is one of the crown jewels of our city. It deserves to be maintained and preserved in its original, intended condition as the masterpiece of modern sculpture that it is.