FAQs
Why are all of these arches showing up and who started this?
During the 2020 holiday season, neighbors of E. McKinley came together to create the Arches of Hope on McKinley project lighting up 25 houses between Bayview and Central. In 2021, an additional 50 families joined in. This effort brought joy to walking neighbors and we decided to help expand this to neighboring streets of the Downtown Heritage District. Additionally, the City of Sunnyvale has awarded us a Neighborhood Grant to support the growth of this effort.
I have questions about this, who can I contact?
You can reach us at HeritageSunnyvale@gmail.com for any questions!
Do I need to be a resident of the downtown Sunnyvale Heritage District to participate?
Yes, as this time we are limiting the supply of arches to residents of this district only. See the boundaries of this association here.
How much does an arch cost?
Arch kits are $16 each and include 2 PVC 10ft pipes, 2 sets of 100 lights, connectors, and 2 rebar rods for staking into the ground. The average house uses 2-3 arches. Unfortunately, prices for major components have significantly increased over previous year, but we did our best to buy supplies in bulk to keep costs down. (pricing may change as supplies are available). The actual price is roughly ~$20, but our grant and corporate donations have helped lower the cost.
What else do I need?
You will need to supply your own extension cords from your house to the arches and connect power between arches. Additionally, you may want to consider a timer to automatically turn on/off your lights. Our Association Store has both timers and arch extension cords which allows multiple arches to be connected to one cable.
Can I build this on my own or do I have to go through you?
By all means, these can be built on your own and encouraged as a fun project for your family. Your local hardware store (Outdoor Hardware Supply, Home Depot or Lowes) will have the supplies needed. Sample parts from Home Depot will be provided through the links below.
1 x ½” Coupler or 1 x ½” male connector and 1 x ½” female connector
Extension cord(s) (from a power source to arches and to connect the arches)
How can I help with this initiative?
This is a volunteer effort, we will need help in the following roles:
Building arches (no skills required) during a build event
Be a street captain by helping distribute and set up arches for neighbors.
Donate funding for supplies and those in need. This effort is bootstrapped by a few individuals purchasing the supplies in bulk and the required tools for building and installing. Additionally, we would like to ensure all neighbors can participate and may need financial assistance.
Does all the money go towards the arches?
Yes, the cost of the arches is covered by your donation, a grant from the City of Sunnyvale and business donations. We purchased these in bulk, bargain shopped for after-holiday sales, and negotiated with stores to bring down the prices to make these affordable.
My neighbor is a senior or has circumstances that don't allow them to participate, is there a way we can help?
Yes. Some neighbors have contributed extra funds that allow us to provide a limited number of arches to those who might need one. Please email us at HeritageSunnyvale@gmail.com and add comments about the need and we will provide an arch.
How can I donate towards this effort?
We can certainly use your donations to cover expenses for tools and materials for this project in addition to apply donations for those who are in need and would like to participate. You will see a tip option when you check out or even a donation item you can buy.
My arches have a section out, what can I do?
You likely have a damaged bulb that will take out 1/4 of your arch. Remember, each arch has two sets of lights, one for each pole. Each arch was provided with spare bulbs and fuses attached to the pole in 2022/2023 or handed to you in 2021.
1) Look for a physically damaged or missing light bulb by scanning and feeling each bulb in the section that is out. If you find one, replace with a new one.
2) If your entire pole is out, you could have a bad fuse. This is on the make adapter plug. There is a little door you can slide out and replace with a new one.
3) If you could not find a damaged bulb, then you need to identify and remove the burnt out bulb. Finding this can be difficult as you will need to take a good bulb and replace each light that is out one by one until you find the bad one. Yes, this will take a while. A quick way to find the bad bulb is to use a volt meter or something like the Light Keeper on Amazon and usually at the local hardware store.
4) Replace the string of lights on that part of the pole. Order through our site or pick up at Lowes.