A Bright Future for Hunter Street Sports
(LANSDALE, PA) – For more than two decades, Hunter Street Baptist Church has operated a sprawling athletic complex in Bessemer, Alabama, providing a home for youth baseball, softball, soccer, and flag football through its Hunter Street Sports program. The fields themselves date back even further, having originally been part of the Bessemer YMCA in the 1960s.
Over the years, however, aging infrastructure began to take its toll—especially after dark.
As Hunter Street embarked on a broader renovation effort that included field improvements, new restroom facilities, and a concession stand, upgrading the complex’s outdated sports lighting became a priority. To help bring the fields into the modern era, the church turned to LED Solutions, a Birmingham-area contractor with whom it had successfully worked before.
LED Solutions selected Keystone XFit Sports Lights to deliver the performance, reliability, and long term value the project required.
The Challenge:
The four-field complex had relied on aging 1500W metal halide fixtures for years. As the system aged, maintaining the lighting became increasingly difficult. Some fixtures no longer operated, replacement lamps became harder to source, and entire sections of certain fields were left inadequately illuminated.
“It was an old park,” said John Redmond, Facilities Director for Hunter Street Baptist Church. “We had these big old lights, and several of them didn’t work. It was pitch black in areas.”
The lighting deficiencies became particularly noticeable as the church expanded improvements throughout the athletic complex. Better fields, new facilities, and growing participation demanded a lighting system that could provide a safer, more enjoyable experience for athletes, families, and spectators alike.
Hunter Street had already decided to move to LED technology, recognizing both the maintenance challenges of the existing system and the advantages of a modern upgrade. After evaluating several providers, the church selected LED Solutions, drawing on a trusted relationship established through previous lighting upgrade projects at the church.
The Keystone Solution:
LED Solutions replaced the existing metal halide fixtures with 96 Keystone 750W XFit Sports Lights. The new LED fixtures deliver significantly greater performance while cutting fixture wattage in half compared to the legacy lights, said Jacob Glenn of LED Solutions.
Beyond supplying the fixtures themselves, Keystone worked closely with the project team by providing detailed lighting layouts and aiming information. These complimentary layouts simplified installation and helped ensure proper light distribution across the fields.
“The lighting layout was very beneficial for the installation team,” said Glenn. “We were able to follow this layout with aim points very easily, and our team never had to question these aim points during the installation. It certainly made it a very hands-off install.”
Keystone provided detailed lighting layouts to optimize illumination for the project.
LED Solutions opted for a one-for-one replacement strategy to reduce disruption and help keep the project on schedule, he added.
Sports Light provides flexibility for a wide variety of field configurations, including an optional detachable driver that can be mounted at ground level to simplify future maintenance. In addition, its heavy-duty construction is engineered for the demanding realities of sports venues, helping facilities reduce maintenance concerns while ensuring long-term reliability.
In Hunter Street’s case, because the fixtures were mounted on existing wood poles, the driver boxes weren’t detached from the luminaires, allowing the contractor to complete the installation while minimizing modifications to the existing infrastructure.
The collaboration between Keystone and LED Solutions extended beyond product selection. Keystone was able to provide all 96 fixtures just about a month after receiving the purchase order, helping ensure that installation could move forward without unnecessary delays.
Keystone was great to work with on this project. Their fast service allowed us to get these lights installed in a timely fashion for the customer.
Jacob Glenn, LED Solutions
The Result:
Greater Energy Savings
Going from 1500W metal halide to 750W Sports Lights cut energy usage in half while maintaining outstanding brightness.
Safer, More Consistent Lighting
Areas that had previously suffered from dark spots
and inconsistent coverage
are now evenly illuminated,
providing a better
environment for
players and visitors.
Reduced
Maintenance,
Long-Term Value
The old fixtures had become difficult to maintain and had a shorter lifespan than LED. “With the savings, longevity of the fixtures, and increased light output, using Sports Light made great economic sense,” said Glenn.
Today, all four fields are fully operational under their new LED lighting system. Whether hosting spring baseball and softball games or fall soccer and flag football programs, Hunter Street Sports now has lighting that matches the quality of the rest of the renovated complex.
It’s a pretty amazing difference.
John Redmond, Facilities Director
For a site that traces its roots back more than half a century, the transformation is dramatic. With brighter fields, more reliable operation, reduced maintenance requirements, and professionally designed light distribution, Hunter Street’s athletic complex is ready to serve athletes and families for years to come.
By combining high-performance Sports Lights, responsive project support, and detailed lighting layouts, Keystone helped illuminate the next chapter for one of central Alabama’s longstanding community sports destinations.
Redmond couldn’t be happier.
“It’s a pretty amazing difference,” he said.
Products Used:
- XFit 750W Sports Light
