On Tuesday, June 3, 2025 more than forty Evanstonians participated in a LWVE-led community conversation concerning Envision Evanston 2045 (EE2045). Participants represented a wide range of  ages, from ETHS students to long-time retirees.

The conversation was held at the invitation of Fourth Ward Council Member Jonathan Nieuwsma as part of his regularly scheduled ward meeting. Elizabeth Williams, Evanston Planning Manager, led off the discussion by providing an update on the EE2045 process. Community Development Director Sarah Flax was also present to observe the proceedings.

Attendees were informed that the goal was not to change people’s minds. Rather, they were encouraged to be curious about what their neighbors think, listen to one another, and seek to find areas of common interest and agreement. The conversation followed the  World Café format.  Small groups of people gathered for discussion around tables covered with large pieces of paper, markers, sticky notes, and stickers used to record and illustrate their thoughts. There were two rounds of discussion. After the first round, participants changed tables and entered into a discussion with a different mix of people. After the conversations ended, one person at each table summarized the discussion. These summaries, together with the comments and observations noted on the papers on each table, were collected by City staff for use in the EE2045 process.

The LWVE sponsored these community discussions as a pilot project. Currently, individuals can provide their views on issues directly to City Boards, Commissions, and the City Council, or write letters to the editor voicing their opinions. We anticipated that the collective and interactive World Café format would provide a model for more productive discourse concerning issues of community interest. LWVE members in attendance were pleased with how the evening went, and City officials have expressed interest in having additional World Cafés.