Evanston City Council members unanimously approved plans Monday to place the second of two solar car canopies at the downtown library parking lot on Chicago Avenue.
At the Administration and Public Works meeting prior to the council session, the nonprofit company I-GO also secured approval to construct a third canopy in the southern part of Evanston. That canopy’s location – the lot on Howard Street and Chicago Avenue or the lot at Hinman Avenue and Main Street – will be determined sometime this week, I-GO CEO Sharon Feigon said.
“I’m delighted the city decided to go forth with this,” Feigon said. “It’s a great project for the city.”
The canopies will function as charging stations for plug-in electric cars and will be constructed by the end of this year, she added. The project is estimated to cost more than $250,000, but Evanston would not pay for any of it, according to a city memo.
Funding will be supplied by I-GO, which obtained grants from the state and other sources for 36 plug-in electric cars with solar charging canopies in the Chicago area.
At the council meeting Sept. 26, Ald. Judy Fiske (1st) said the downtown library lot was too heavily utilized, recommending that discussion be tabled until nearby property owners and tenants were consulted.
During Monday night’s meeting, Fiske said she supported the downtown location but relayed concerns about overcrowding from the Woman’s Club of Evanston that depends on the lot for its own use.
Fiske also said the canopy not be painted in “glaring colors” because of the nearby Woman’s Christian Temperance Union property.
“We’ve got two landmark buildings, and they’re concerned about the appearance of solar canopies,” she said.
At a Sept. 26 meeting, Evanston aldermen agreed to place the other solar car canopy at the city lot on Central Street and Stewart Avenue.
The canopies will each cover four parking spaces, two of which are reserved as charging stations for I-GO cars. The other two spots would have meters available for public use.
Under the plan, the city will pay the city $80 monthly for each reserved I-GO spot, Feigon told The Daily earlier. I-GO will also financially support the operating of the solar car canopies and charging stations.
