Ottawa moves forward on installing electric car charging stations

2 to be placed near IVCC Ottawa Center, 2 more to be placed by old cab stand on Columbus Street

The Ottawa City Council moved ahead on the charging stations for electric cars, authorizing a host agreement with Universal EV LLC. There will be four stations in all, two near the IVCC Ottawa Center at 321 W. Main St. and two more located along Columbus Street just north of Jefferson Street, near the old cab stand (shown here). (Derek Barichello)

August 28, 2024 at 5:25 am CDT

The Ottawa City Council moved ahead Tuesday on the charging stations for electric cars, authorizing a host agreement with Universal EV LLC for two stations located near the riverfront park.

There will be four stations in all in Ottawa, those two near the Illinois Valley Community College Ottawa Center at 321 W. Main St. and two more located along Columbus Street just north of Jefferson Street, near the old cab stand. The stations will be paid for with a state grant.

“We delayed voting on it at our last meeting a week ago because we wanted to check with the planners that having those there would not interfere with the plans for the riverfront,” Hasty said. “That lease agreement is going to be for some time and we didn’t want to have to break it to find a new place for the stations. We found that it would not interfere, so we’ve gone ahead with the lease as written.”