A nearly yearlong community-wide search for ideas meant to better Evanston’s future has come to an end. Organizers of Evanston150 recently unveiled the final 10 ideas.
“The purpose of these big ideas is not only to punctuate an anniversary but to positively impact our community for many years to come,” said Rives Collins, a Northwestern University theater professor and emcee for the final 10 unveiling ceremony at the Levy Senior Center.
“Starting right here and now, these 10 ideas will be transformed into 10 projects that will truly shape the stories Evanston will tell about itself for generations,” Collins said.
Organizers envisioned Evanston150 as a way to involve the community in generating ideas they hope will be started or completed by 2013, when Evanston celebrates its 150th birthday. The community responded by coming up with 2,201 ideas, which were then narrowed down to the final 10.
“It’s time to get down to work,” said Jay Lytle, a member of the group’s steering committee.
The final 10 ideas are:
- Establish “fully functional neighborhood literacy centers” throughout the city, as well as free wireless Internet access across Evanston.
- Establish a community health center that serves people regardless of their ability to pay.
- Create urban farms, community gardens, greenhouses and composting sites that can provide educational opportunities.
- Create more bicycle lanes, walking paths bicycle storage facilities and “borrow-a-bike” stations throughout the city; establish “car-free” zones on certain streets or blocks; extend the bicycle path from Rogers Park to Evanston, and connect the lakefront path to the canal path.
- Establish various goals for improving Evanston’s environmental stewardship, such as becoming carbon neutral, encouraging water conservation and creating sustainable energy sources.
- Create a youth development center for career counseling, tutoring, job training, financial literacy, recreation and other activities.
- Develop a vocational or cooperative technical school.
- Create a year-round indoor and outdoor community market.
- Offer free beach access to all, build an outdoor water pool or water park, clean and enhance use of the canal, and teach all children how to swim.
- Offer affordable preschool opportunities for all Evanston children.
Organizers are now asking residents to work together to generate ways to implement these 10 ideas. The group plans to host workshops for residents to get involved, the details of which will be posted on the group’s website
The Evanston History Center's Lori Osborne, standing center, discusses one of the final 10 ideas with interested residents. (Jonathan Bullington/TribLocal)
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