TUCSON, Ariz. - In Tucson, most everybody enjoys a view of the nearest mountain range or a clear view of the night sky.

But cruising the city will likely take you past at least one brightly lit outdoor sports field or school park in neighborhoods all over town. These fields are seen by some Tucsonans as bright jewels that light up the night sky but as blinding and energy draining eye sores to others.

City and county officials generally agree that energy conservation is important and being a good neighbors is a top priority. However, both at the same time can be difficult.

The difficulty lies in providing quality lighting when it is needed and keeping the lights off when the field is not in use. Also, there must be a friendly balance between lighting a large field and keeping neighborhoods around town dark and the night sky clear.

"We try to be the best neighbors we can," said Ken Kalthoff, electrician for the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Administration.

Conserving energy and being a good neighbor for these outdoor recreation fields is not all about the type of lighting used, but rather the amount of time it’s used.

“Ordinances allow us to run unrestricted, but we have curfews,” Kalthoff said.

Len Altieri, program coordinator with the Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Department, said oftentimes park operators must work with sports leagues to be energy conscious and respect nearby residents.

“We try to be proactive, informing the league,” Altieri said. “The public does observe these things. We want to have a good relationship.”

Altieri also stated that Pima County has begun installing newer lighting systems. These systems can be shut off by computer, instead of the old lock and key system.

When residents see the lights on and the park is not in use, they can call a phone number and get the lights shut off instantaneously. In the past county officials had to count on the honor system and hope park users would turn lights off on their way out. The new system can drastically reduce the number of needless hours with lights on.

For city parks the computer system is slowly making its way around town as well. Some systems still in use date back to the 1960s, Kalthoff said.

“Most of the fields have timing systems on them,” he said.

Kalthoff said at a cost of up to $180,000 per park, replacing old systems is not cheap, and they must rely on the public to be smart about turning lights on and off.

The University of Arizona also does its part to be energy smart and a good neighbor. The lighting at Arizona Stadium is also on a curfew. The system itself is very old, according to Steve Kozachik, assistant director of athletics for facilities and capital projects at the UA.

“The metal hallide lighting pre-dates what you would call energy saving,” Kozachik said.

Tucson Electric Park, home to Major League Baseball spring training and the Tucson Sidewinders, is a good example of how hard it can be to balance proper lighting and being energy efficient. Lighting operations at the stadium are operated by Sturgeon Electric Company Inc.

Brian Cahill, a foreman with Sturgeon, said that meeting certain standards for sporting events, such as making sure the field is bright enough for the players and cameras to see the ball, is the main priority and it makes light spillage difficult to control.

“It's just hard to do in that kind of a system,” Cahill said.

The same problem faces Arizona Stadium, which often hosts live television broadcasts. Running systems that promote energy conservation and reduce light spillage create a problem.

“It’s not bright enough for television,” Kozachik said.

The stadium must be very well lit for cameras to pick up the events in a clear, bright picture. Replacing the old but powerful lighting system at the football field with a more environmentally-conscious system would not be up to television standards, Kozachik said.

For anyone operating a field, energy concerns are an issue, even if the field must be a blinding beacon in the clear desert sky. Kozachik said there are three main rules they try to live by when it comes to lighting the field.

“We want to save energy, save money, and be good neighbors,” he said.