What was once burning burlap sacks, white-washed rocks and then a series of lights powered by a portable generator has evolved with the times.
The giant W that stands for Weber State University, which has loomed on and off over the years on the mountain above the campus, has been refashioned into the stylized “flaming” W that the university uses in promotional material. It’s also equipped with 284 solar panels that generate more than enough energy — 129,000 kilowatt-hours per year — to make it shine.
“The ultimate purpose is to build on traditions and establish new ones, honoring the past and looking forward to our future as a university,” said Bryan Magaña, spokesman for the Ogden-based university. The prominent mountainside location “is definitely a way to make our mark and raise awareness of Weber State.”
Whatever the reason, when it’s on — it was formally inaugurated during halftime of the Weber State football game against Butler University on Sept. 20 — it stands out in the night sky. In fact, while prior incarnations were only lit up sporadically, university officials plan to power the new W, which costs around $2.8 million, with more regularity. As the giant, 150-foot-tall letter took shape, it “generated a lot of buzz,” Magaña said, and calls from the public to be used more.
“The next few months will serve as a sort of trial phase, but the plan for now is for the W to glow white each night and glow purple on special occasions such as Homecoming Week or our Founders Day,” Jan. 7, he said. “It will flash purple and white — our school colors — for athletic home victories. And there’s a special ‘flaming’ pattern reserved for commencement.”
Next week, during Homecoming Week at Weber State, the W will receive extra use, with a drone show scheduled for Monday, Oct. 6, when it will transition from white to purple to mark the start of the week’s activities. “We see it as a beacon of school spirit and community pride,” Magaña said.
Light pollution, bird migration questions
The first W to adorn the mountain above Weber State — consisting of burning burlap bags — was installed, temporarily, in 1937. In 1966, a W made of white-washed rocks was hauled up the mountain by students and others. An electric W followed in 1979, with portable generators employed on special occasions to light the sky.
The electric W “fueled support over the years to get a permanent monogram on the mountainside,” Magaña said, leading to the solar-powered version. It sits in the same spot on the mountain north of Stewart Stadium where prior Ws have been located.
Despite the excitement of many, others have raised questions about the potential for light pollution caused by the W and its possible impact on bird migration patterns. University students and faculty, Magaña said, will be monitoring the potential side effects. “The concerns have been few and far between, but we’re listening. There’s still time to learn and adjust our traditions during this exploratory phase,” Magaña said.
Funding for the W came from donors, federal tax money earmarked for energy initiatives and savings the university has put away thanks to its various energy sustainability initiatives. The excess energy generated by the W will help power Dee Events Center and the Weber County Ice Sheet, both on the Weber State campus.