Construction to Start on Solar Carports at El Cerrito Community Center

From a City of El Cerrito press release:

Construction to install a solar electricity system at the City of El Cerrito’s popular Community Center is scheduled to begin the week of April 8, 2013.

The Community Center, including the El Cerrito Swim Center, is located at 7007 Moeser Lane.

During construction of carports to hold the solar panels, the majority of the parking lot at the Community Center will be closed. Only Disabled parking and limited 15-minute temporary parking will be available.

Access to the Community Center from Portola Avenue will not be available during the first phase of this project.

It is expected to take approximately 10 working days to install the carports.

After this initial phase, portions of the parking lot will reopen as feasible.

Construction at the Community Center is expected to last through May 17, 2013 and will not interrupt classes, events and other Center services.

Alternative parking will be available along Moeser Lane and Pomona Avenue, as well as in the Contra Costa Civic Theater parking lot on Pomona Avenue during non-performance hours. 

In October 2012, the El Cerrito City Council authorized a contract with Real Goods Solar to design and install 256 kW of solar electricity at various City facilities, offsetting approximately 28 percent of the City’s electricity use and 5 percent of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions. The energy savings, along with rebates from the California Solar Initiative, are expected to provide more annual cost savings than will be required to service project debt.

In addition to the El Cerrito Community Center, the City is also installing a solar electricity system at the City of El Cerrito’s Public Safety Building, 10940 San Pablo Ave.

Work at the Public Safety Building is scheduled for April 15 through the end of May. The new carports will be built behind the Public Safety Building and the construction work is not expected to interfere with public parking at the Public Safety Building, which includes the Police Station and Fire Station # 71.