The Central Street Neighbors Association hosted a live Q&A Thursday with Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) . Several topics were on the discussion board but one stood out: the Ryan Field rebuild.  

While CSNA President Jeff Smith started the discussion with several questions about  Revelle’s work on City Council. He alleged a lack of 6th and 7th Ward representation compared to other wards, while other attendees seemed to be impatient to touch on the Ryan Field conversation. 

A discussion about expanding parking lots on Central Street led residents to raise concerns about how Rebuild Ryan Field could impact city parking. Many attendees said increasing traffic and parked cars would have a negative impact on Evanston. 

“Most of the responsibility for traffic management outside of the six big concerts and public security will fall on Evanston’s shoulders and I think it could cost a lot,” Sonia Cohen, a 7th Ward resident, said. 

Beyond the costs of security, questions about the financial burden of renovation and the maintenance of such a large construction project were brought forward. Many residents were not convinced the financial benefit of taxes and permit payments to the city would outweigh the incurred costs. 

“If you actually look at the numbers, the nearest stadium that was built that was much bigger than this was like $400 million. (Northwestern is) trying to spend $800 million and they’re saying that they need $2 million a year to sustain the stadium,” said Mark Sloane, a 6th Ward resident and CSNA member. 

Cohen said she was glad that Revelle expressed skepticism about a previous Johnson Consulting  report, which claimed the city would earn  $77.8 million in estimated economic impact. Commissioned by the city, the study was released on Sept. 15 and overviewed the potential economic impact of the Ryan Field rebuild.

“It really shows we’re not going to make much money from this,” Cohen said. “My hope is that (Revelle) will be talking to other councilmembers to make sure they understand that.”

A few others told Revelle they don’t feel heard by Northwestern or other councilmembers. 

“The aldermen that are far on the other side that aren’t going to have the traffic, that aren’t going to have the issues, they can be for it because it doesn’t affect them. It seems to me personally they can’t see beyond their little ward boundaries,” Sloane said.

Sloane also said he expects Northwestern “to be more honest and open and be able to have a discussion and a dialogue with the community groups that are going to be affected by this.”

The environmental impact of renovation and increased traffic was another major point of discussion. Some were concerned that the question of potential carbon emissions had been neglected. 

Revelle said the need to study the environmental impact of the project is dire. Attendees also raised concerns about groundwater pumping required by the project that could negatively affect the city. 

Others also expressed concerns about loud noise coming from the stadium during football games and concerts, which Revelle acknowledged and affirmed.

 “There is no way the sound will not lead into the neighborhood,” she said.

While many 7th Ward residents have been apprehensive about the proposed rebuild, some said they still see a potential compromise. Cohen said if the university wants to build a stadium, residents “need a community benefits agreement, written in stone about the terms of the relationship of the town to the university.”

City Council is expected to vote on the proposed renovation in November. As discussions unfold over the coming weeks, attendees said they expect more clarity about the project. 

“We’re just a bunch of little neighbors trying to stop this huge thing (from being) built in a way that doesn’t make sense,” Sloane said. 

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