Webster's dictionary defines fuchsia as “vivid reddish purple.”

Not pink.

But some Westmoreland County Public Works employees are not that versed in the color palette.

When they installed fuchsia-colored films over lights that illuminate the Westmoreland County Courthouse dome this week, they were surprised when the dome in Greensburg was bathed in purple.

They were shooting for pink in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

“It didn't come out the way I thought it would,” Public Works Director Greg McCloskey said.

The purple-lit dome became a sensation this week on social media as a series of posts showed off the color faux pas.

Last month, the county purchased seven different colored films to install over six mercury vapor lights that shine nightly on the dome. The idea was to cast different hues atop the courthouse.

Pink was not one of the colors originally purchased.

McCloskey said he thought fuchsia was close enough.

It wasn't.

“I thought it looked more purple,” he conceded on Wednesday.

Officials believe the foul-up has been fixed with the purchase of six pink films that were delivered and installed Wednesday afternoon, at a cost of about $44.

Officials had to wait until sundown to see if the tinting was successful.

“Each time we do this, we'll have to call the first night an experiment,” McCloskey said.

Rich Cholodofsky is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.

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