BRIAN CHILSON
LONOKE LEADS THE CHARGE
EnelX Juicebox chargers at Flagpole Plaza in Lonoke take a break from charging electric vehicles.
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hanks to efforts spearheaded by a local volunteer, Lonoke is now the first community in the state to offer electric vehicle chargers with a grant from the nonprofit Adopt-A-Charger and Entergy. The six EnelX Juicebox chargers were installed in downtown Lonoke to much fanfare in April 2021. “I’m so excited to have the chargers up and running,” said Chris Flores, chair of the volunteer Lonoke Sustainability Action Team, which led the grassroots drive for the chargers. “I think this was a big step in making Lonoke a more connected community by allowing people to pull off the interstate to visit downtown and enjoy what our town has to offer,” Flores said. Enticing visitors and locals alike to mill around within the city center as they wait for their cars to charge is an important secondary benefit to the new chargers. Unlike with an interstate filling station or rest stop, motorists find themselves downtown, immersed in the atmosphere and flavor of the community. Flores said the chargers are already helping motorists connect with Lonoke in new ways. “I see cars plugged up to the chargers all the time,” Flores said. “In fact, the other day, I stopped and talked to a couple traveling from Arizona to Maine that stopped in Lonoke to charge. They loved
Lonoke and said they’d definitely stop by again on their way back.” Lonoke architect Ryan Biles said such encounters are spurring other planning and amenities within the community now that the chargers are bringing travelers into the city center. He noted a bicycle and pedestrian master plan is currently in the works, with technical assistance from Leesa Freasier of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ State Physical Activity & Nutrition program and planners at Crafton Tull. “This is a big story for us,” Biles said. “This collective effort represents a true step forward for building a visible, attractive and connected downtown Lonoke [while] supporting safe, sustainable transportation options across a spectrum of modes and technologies. As we have been saying, ‘Lonoke is leading the charge.’ ” Dedication ceremonies for the new chargers kicked off with an electric vehicle parade from Little Rock to Lonoke, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new stations at Flagpole Plaza. Some 90 people attended and around 25 electric vehicles rolled in the parade to Lonoke. Looking on, Biles said the new chargers are also a testament to the positive change that can be made when communities dare to think creatively. VOLUME 7 | 2021 BLOCK, STREET & BUILDING | 19
