Pekin Park District Solar Project
The Pekin Park District has been awarded a state grant to install a solar power system at Mineral Springs Park, located in the event parking area. This project comes with no upfront cost to the Park District and is projected to save the district between $1.57 million and $2.28 million over 15 years. This estimate accounts for potential annual utility rate increases of 1.7% to 4%.
The solar system consists of two separate arrays. One array will provide 100% of the electricity for the Veterans Memorial Arena, while the other will power Parkside Fitness. The system meets all building code regulations, and new landscaping will be planted to improve its appearance. The Park District’s application for the grant received strong community backing, including letters of support from local school districts, the Pekin Chamber of Commerce, the Pekin Public Library, the City of Pekin, and many notable community members.
Why the Event Parking Area Lot Was Chosen
The Park District and several solar companies considered placing the solar panels on the buildings’ roofs. However, this option was ruled out for two main reasons:
- The age and unknown condition of the roofs made it risky to add the weight and structure of the solar panels. Replacing the roofs first would have negatively impacted the project’s financial return.
- The roofs simply didn’t offer enough space to generate the necessary amount of electricity to meet the buildings’ needs.
This led the Park District to explore using the event parking lot. The district determined that this location was the most viable option because it has been rarely used for nearly 15 years, and there were no future plans for its use.
Addressing Community Impact
The Park District worked with community groups to ensure the project would not disrupt local events. The event parking area, a 6+ acre parcel, has only been used for overflow parking in the past.
- Pekin School District 108 worked with the Park District to re-route its annual cross-country meet course to avoid the construction area.
- The 4-H Fair has not used this specific parcel for years. The Park District also consulted with the Tazewell County Veterans Memorial Fair Association Board and received their full approval.
- The Marigold Festival was notified that the parking for their “Art in the Park” vendors would be relocated to the open green space just west of the new solar array, an area not currently in use during the festival. This space was once used for soccer fields but has not been in use for that purpose since the opening of the Pekin Park Sports Complex in 2011. The solar array will not affect this green space, which can still be used for recreational activities.
Additionally, the Park District has the option to have the solar system removed after 15 years at no cost to the district.