By now you've noticed the flashing strobe light at the park at 5th and Pitkin in Grand Junction. Is this the result of a power outage, or have the residents of the park taken up Disco?

The South side of Whitman Park looks more like a 1970s roller rink than a park. As you drive east down Pitkin approaching 5th Street, you run the risk of getting hypnotized by a steady flashing strobe.

Grand Junction residents have come up with a number of theories. Some believe the flashing light was put there by the city to discourage panhandling on the corner. Personally, the first time I saw the flashing light coincided with a number of emergency vehicles rapidly exiting the nearby police and fire stations. I assumed it was one of those emergency lights designed to communicate to motorists the need to be alert.

Some believe the year-round residents of Whitman Park felt the need to lay down the boogie and host a rave in the middle of the park.

Following an email to the City of Grand Junction via their website, I received the following response.

city email
City of Grand Junction
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Okay. Next step is to contact Xcel Energy. After visiting their website, I received the following map indicating outages around the state of Colorado.

XCel map of outages
Xcel Energy
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Next step, contact Xcel Energy via the phone. I spoke with a rep and provided them with my phone number. Three minutes later I get a return phone call.

The rep with Xcel stated the matter WAS NOT a power outage, and as a result should be reported to the City of Grand Junction. So, as of 9:28 a.m. on Tuesday morning, January 24th, we're right back where we started.

In the end, word on the street is the city's new LED bulbs are flaky, and several have already gone on the blink (pun intended). The question remains: who will address the issue?

I guess the park residents will just have to take up disco or rollerskating, or both, and we'll have to set up a sound system to blast The Village People's "YMCA." It doesn't look like this matter is going away anytime soon.

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