Construction continues this week on two of the more conspicuous solar installations in the city’s plan for 10 self-sustaining solar-powered buildings.
In Wiese Park, workers are erected the support pillars for the series of solar canopies that will line the bike trail north of the McCreary Community Building. The concrete footings for the canopies are 12 feet deep and three feet wide, hopefully making them sturdy enough to withstand the next derecho wind storm.
Groundbreaking also begins this week for a solar pavilion between the Raccoon River Valley trailhead and Caboose Park in downtown Perry, where similar construction materials were placed last week at the northwest corner of First and Willis avenues.
The city parking lot will be closed for about two weeks for installation of solar canopies and panels. No vehicles will be allowed to park in the lot during the installation, and overnight parking restrictions will be suspended in the downtown area during the period when the parking lot is closed.
Once the arrays of solar panels and carport canopies are in place on or around 10 city buildings, the city aims to save almost $5 million on its electricity bills and reduce its carbon footprint to zero under its agreement with Norwalk-based Red Lion Renewables.
Most of the other solar panels will be largely unseen rooftop installations on city buildings, with the largest single installation an array of solar panels covering much of the roof surface of the McCreary Community Building. The Perry Public Safety Building at 908 Willis Ave. will also receive a large rooftop array.
