“Wouldn’t it be great if Evanston was…” prefaced each of the discussions at the Evanston150 idea-generation session held Thursday at the Evanston Public Library. By the end of the night, posters full of possibilities covered the walls.
Evanston community members flocked to the library to have their voices heard in round two of the preliminary brainstorming.
“We’re collecting ideas for Evanston’s future,” said Lori Osborne, Evanston150 steering committee member.
Diverse groups of five to 10 Evanston residents, Northwestern students and volunteers gathered around tables to discuss potential projects to be implemented in 2013 in honor of the city’s 150th anniversary. After a 20-minute meeting, group members each shared one thing they loved about Evanston and one thing they would like to see changed. Ideas ranged from an adopt-a-street program to a bowling alley to a healthier 24-hour eatery. A giant sheet of poster paper – the result of a children’s brainstorming session – included drawings of an aquarium and an “Ice Cream Factory Sample Museum.”
A few of the major trends concern teen initiatives, recreational opportunities and arts centers, Osborne said.
“We’re starting to see momentum. People are getting excited,” she said. “They’re starting to see the potential.”
Though Thursday’s event was the last official idea-generation meeting, an on-campus brainstorming session will be held May 20 from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Cohen Commons of Technological Institute.
All ideas must be submitted by July 31, and they will then get narrowed down to a list of 100. Evanston residents will be able to vote for a top 30 in a weekend election scheduled for Oct. 15 to 17, and from there, a selection jury will choose 10 projects to implement.
Stephanie Kulke, the project’s director, is optimistic about the initiative.
“We don’t know if people will show up to these things, but it seems like many want the opportunity to weigh in,” Kulke said. “We probably got 100 ideas tonight. It’s inspiring to be around people who want to make a difference.”
