KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene has moved its upcoming public meeting on the proposed Gilbo Avenue Solar Pavilion from Tuesday, Sept. 15, to Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The community engagement session will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Cohen Hall in the Keene Public Library, where city officials and the project team will present revised pavilion concepts and gather additional public feedback.

The meeting was originally announced for Sept. 15. The city has since changed the date to Sept. 16.

The revised designs incorporate feedback received during public engagement sessions in July and are intended to help the city select a preferred concept before the project moves into engineering and development.

The proposed pavilion would be built near the Farmers’ Market of Keene and is envisioned as a multi-purpose community space that could accommodate farmers’ market activities, food trucks, downtown events and other year-round uses.

The structure would combine mass timber construction with a solar array. Electricity generated by the panels could help offset municipal power use downtown, including lighting, traffic signals, holiday lighting and electricity used for public events.

The project has an estimated cost of about $2.2 million, with roughly 80% expected to come from a Northern Border Regional Commission grant. The city would provide the remaining funding.

Revised Designs

The additional public meeting follows a July review of three initial pavilion concepts by the City Council’s Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee.

Councilors raised concerns about the appearance and location of the proposed structure, as well as whether its placement could interfere with Farmers’ Market operations. The committee ultimately postponed choosing a preferred design to allow for more public input.

A south-facing sloped-roof concept had received the strongest support during the earlier public sessions. The revised concepts continue to explore that general design while looking at different ways to position the pavilion around the market area.

Among the possibilities being considered are locating the pavilion on the south side of the market or dividing the structure between the north and south sides.

The Sept. 16 presentation will also cover the project’s goals, existing site conditions and the anticipated solar energy production.

Public Feedback Requested

Residents, families, business owners and other interested stakeholders will have an opportunity to ask questions and comment on the revised concepts.

A brief feedback form will be available for attendees to indicate their preferred design and provide additional comments. City officials say the input will be considered along with feedback from Farmers’ Market vendors, downtown businesses and event organizers.

The planned pavilion would include electrical hookups for market vendors and food trucks, LED lighting and drainage features intended to direct rainwater and melting snow away from pedestrian areas.

Mass timber construction is also a component of the project associated with its Northern Border Regional Commission funding.

Construction is currently anticipated to begin next summer as the city continues the design and development process.

The Sept. 16 meeting is open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. at Cohen Hall, Keene Public Library.