Lane Closures on Kimball Starting Monday

One westbound lane on Kimball between Douglas and Brook will be closed beginning Monday. The closure will be between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm through Wednesday.

New Technology Chronicles Prehistoric Creatures Arrival

Jobaria. (Photo by Patrick Malia)

There's a new blog in town, Elgin Dinosaurs, documenting the arrival of the GIANTS:African Dinosaurs Exhibit at the Gail Borden Public Library. The Elginite had a post on this last week. I have a feeling the library will be a busy place for the next four months.

Its Happening Downtown - August 29th - September 5th

It's Happening Downtown!
A Time to Network and Eat - Monday, August 29th
Come to our Out to Lunch - Monday, August 29th @ Noon at Cafe Magdalena. Our speaker will be Sean Stegall, Assistant City Manager of the City of Elgin, and we will be thanking Bob Beeter from the Elgin Police Department. We will be having a buffet meal with free drinks for $6.50.

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting - Tuesday, August 30th
Located at the Centre at 7pm. Call 847.931.6126 for more information.

Don't forget the Martini Room's Weekly Happenings - Every Wednesday and Friday
Every Wednesday night several artists work are showcased and sold in Martini Room's great lounge atmosphere. And then on Friday take advantage of the great tunes of "Inertia".

Harvest Market - Thursday, September 1st
Harvest Market is EVERY Thursday!! Located in the Civic parking lot next to the Elgin post office this weekly happening is every Thursday from 12pm-6pm. So head on over as the last day of the Harvest Market is September 22nd!

The Gail Borden Public Library Foundation cordially invites you to attend a Champagne Preview Party...Thursday, September 1st
Come celebrate and support the opening of the upcoming exhibit - Giants: African Dinosaurs created by Project Exploration.
Attendance and donation is $50 per person, and special donation levels are Suchomimius Level ($100-$249), Afrovenator Level ($250-$499) Vobaria Level ($500 & up)
RSVP the Gail Borden Library at 847.742.2411 and ask for Joyce Schifferer.

Do you want to be in the Fiesta Salsa Parade? - Deadline:September 2nd
The Grand Marshall this year is Zoraida Sambolin from NBC 5. The parade kicks of at 12 pm on September 17th at Grove and Slade.
Contact Jeanette Mihalec at 847.741.5660 to get your group in!!

The Historic Elgin House Tour Needs Your Help!!! - Saturday and Sunday September 10th & 11th
Currently they are in need of volunteers to help be guides on Sunday September 11th from either 9:50am-1:30pm or 1:20pm-5pm. Not for being a guide. Please call Sandy at 847.347.1589 to help and get a FREE TICKET to the House Tour !!

Flea Market Vendors Wanted! - Saturday September 24th
DNA will be hosting a Downtown Elgin Flea Market from 9am-3pm at the Civic Center Parking Lot. For more information call 847.488.1456. Spaces are $20.

Boat Races in the Fox River

The Elginite is proposing Asian boat races in the Fox River. (See the post).

There's a Southeast Asian Water Festival in Lowell, Mass, which features traditional boat races. The festival is expected to draw 50,000 to 60,000 visitors to Lowell's Merrimack River each year, a celebration of the river as a God in Southeast Asian culture.Imagine bringing 50-60,000 people to downtown Elgin for something similar. The Lao community here can be joined by Thai, Cambodian and other communities in Chicagoland to host this event. This could be a good way to highlight Elgin's diversity and deliver traffic to downtown businesses. It would also highlight the downtown and especially the riverfront's revitalization.

Wikipedia entry on dragon boats. I also found swan boats and long boats.

What do you think?

Sculptural Signs

I found this mention of Sculptural Signs on The Northfield Downtown Development Corporation blog from Northfield, Minnesota. This is a great downtown site.
Several more sign links from the NDDC are listed below:
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Signs of Newburyport

Don't forget the revised sign ordinance is coming up before the Planning Commission on Monday, September 19th at 7 pm. The meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers, City Hall North Wing.

Dinosaur Photos on Flickr

Thanks to The Elginite (see post) for discovering these pics on Flickr. Go to the library link for more information on the exhibit. See the "Dinos on Parade" article the Sunday Daily Herald.

It's Happening Downtown! - August 22 - 29

It's Happening Downtown!

Want to help with the image of Elgin? Or meet the New Police Chief? - Monday, August 22nd
The Elgin Image Advisory Commission will be meeting at 7pm in the second floor conference room in the North wing of city hall.
The Police Chief's Monthly Community Meeting will be at 7pm at the Elgin Police Station.

"Walk Across Illinois" with Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn - Tuesday, August 23rd
As part of the Walk Across Illinois program Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn will be in Elgin at 11 a.m. on Walton Island. From there, there will be a walk heading north along the bike path next to the Fox River. Please come and take a break from work during your lunch hour and go for a walk!!

Want to know the latest decisions in Elgin first? - Wednesday, August 24th
City Council Meetings - Wednesday @ 6pm and 7pm
Click on the times to see the appropriate agendas. Please check the location.

Harvest Market - Thursday, August 25th
Did the rain spoil your Harvest Market plans last week? Harvest Market is EVERY Thursday!! Located in the Civic parking lot next to the Elgin post office this weekly happening is every Thursday from 12pm-6pm. So head on over as the last day is September 22nd!

A Time to Network and Eat - August 29th
Come to our Out to Lunch - Monday, August 29th @ Noon at Cafe Magdalena.
Our speaker will be Sean Stegall, Assistant City Manager of the City of Elgin, and we will be thanking Bob Beeter from the Elgin Police Department. We will be having a buffet meal with free drinks for $6.50. Please remember to tip, and RSVP by August 26th. Thanks!!

Do you like old houses and their history? - ASAP
The Historic Elgin House Tour could use your help!! They are in need of volunteers to help on September 10th from 1:20pm-5:00pm and on Sunday September 11th from either 9:50am-1:30pm or 1:20pm-5pm. Please call Sandy at 847.347.1589 to help and get a FREE TICKET.

Bleu Delph Flower Shop Relocates

The Bleu Delph Flower Shop is now located at 17 N. Grove. Stop in and see the unique arrangements Jonathan creates. Read Lenore Adkins' article in the Sunday Daily Herald.

It's Happening Downtown, the Week of August 15th

Thursday, August 18th
What: Harvest Market
Time: 12 to 6 pm
Where: Civic Center parking lot at the corner of Highland and Grove

Friday, August 19th
What: Deadline for the United Way Day of Caring
Volunteers are needed to help your community and the downtown!! If you haven't signed up with the United Way yet for a project let us give you some ideas. Three projects that are in or very close to our Downtown are still in need of volunteers. Please look below and contact DNA so that we may form a group to go help with at least one of these projects.

Where:
1) Boys and Girls Club of Elgin Code #1 - 355 Dundee Ave. - Needs to be scraped and painted
Skills & Supplies: Painting experience, ladders, any painting equipment
Full day project - # of Volunteers needed: 12-24 people

2) Near West Neighbors Association Code #12 - North side of W. Chicago Street between State St. and North Crystal Street - Brush Clean-up
Skills & Supplies: small chain saw, rakes, work gloves
Half day project - # of Volunteers needed: 10-20 people

3) Wellington Neighborhood Code #26 - Lower Wellington - Operation Clean Sweep
Skills and Supplies: Garden Gloves, small chain saw, rakes, weed whackers
Half day project - # of Volunteers needed 40-5)

Saturday, August 20th
What: Saturday Night at the Movies
Presented by the City of Elgin and the Cultural Arts Commission. "The Adventures of Robin Hood" Errol Flynn at his best. It's free. Bring a chair or blanket. Consessions by DNA.
Time: 8pm
Where: Hemmens south lawn

Prairie Street Sewer Construction Begins Monday

From the Saturday Courier News
Portions of Prairie Street will be closed starting Monday as construction crews begin the installation of a new street sewer.
"The project consists of installing a new storm sewer on Prairie Street from Villa Street to the Fox River," said Steve Pertzborn, the city's senior engineer. "The new sewer will separate the storm water runoff from the existing combined storm/sanitary sewer on Prairie Street and transport the storm water directly to the river."
Pertzborn said businesses will be notified of intermittent road closures impacting business access. Street parking also will be limited during working hours. At the end of each work day, roadways will be reopened.
The project is scheduled for completion in mid-October.
For more information, contact Pertzborn at (847) 931-5955.

Elgin Puerto Rican Day Parade 2005

Three queens, but who's the driver?

The rain stayed away for the 2005 Elgin Puerto Rican Day Parade. The parade started at the U46 Administration building at 355 E. Chicago headed north on Geneva then west on Division to the Civic Center parking lot. After the parade everyone went to the plaza for food and entertainment.


The young ladies competing for Miss Hispanidad gathered for a photo in their colorful Fiesta Salsa shirts. See the Fiesta Salsa blog for more photos.

Demi & Cooper Ribbon Cutting

An Elgin Area Chamber ribbon cutting was held on Friday at Demi & Cooper Advertising. They renovated the Elks Club on VIlla St. into their offices. They are the firm that created the "It's Happening Here" ad campaign. See a previous post for more info.

An Artist's Studio

A downtown street became an artist's studio on Friday afternoon. Local artist, Timothy King, used the backdrop of a Chicago St. streetscape for his next work of art. You can see his work here or here.

Project Management Team Approved by Council

The city council approved the reformation of the Project Management Team (PMT) on Wednesday night. Read Nathaniel Zimmer's article in the Courier News. Read Christine Byers' article in the Daily Herald.

Saturday Night at the Movies, Episode III, Last Chance

The last two movie nights were great. Cool weather, no bugs and a movie from the days when special effects didn't overshadow key elements of movie making such as acting, directing and writing. Join the crowd on the south lawn of the Hemmens Cultural Center on Saturday, August 20th. The City of Elgin and the Cultural Arts Commission is presenting the 1938 classic, "The Adventures of Robin Hood", staring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Basil Rathbone. View the trailer or learn more from the Errol Flynn website. The movie starts at 8 pm. So bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy a free movie by the riverfront. DNA will be selling popcorn and other goodies

Blogging Seminar

A seminar on blogging was held at the Gail Borden Public Library on August 11th. The presenters were: Steve Munson (Downtown Elgin), Rick Sopha (The Elginite) and Mike Kemmler (CMLNow, FCCMission). Sixteen people came out to learn about blogging. We created a blog during the presentation and demonstrated mobile blogging by taking a photo of the audience and posting it using a camera phone. The presentation materials are available at the Downtown Tech blog.

New Technology Blog

A new technology blog, called Downtown Tech, has entered the blogosphere. It's purpose is to share technology tips for downtown organizations and other non-profits.

Project Management Team to Return?

The Project Management Team (PMT), which last met in 2003, may be coming back. The topic will be discussed at tonight's city council meeting. Read the article in the Wednesday Daily Herald.

Another change proposed to revive the team includes selecting two downtown
developers instead of two downtown businesses. That’s because the Downtown
Neighborhood Association represents downtown businesses and can adequately serve as their voice, city economic development director Ray Moller said.

“Developers are making huge investments here and what’s happening in
the center city impacts them,” Moller said. “And they have conversations with
the people who are coming here to buy.”

Downtown Elgin Resident to Host "Design on a Dime"

Downtown resident, Brice Cooper, will host 26 HGTV "Design on a Dime" shows. They will all be shot in the Chicago area. Here is the application if you would like to have a room made over. Read Christine Byers' front page story from Tuesday's Daily Herald.

Trivia, Brice was the creator of the "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" Window Wonderland display. The Window Wonderland theme was Songs of the Season. He also created a unique home holiday display with Santa climbing in a window.

It's Happening Downtown, the Week of August 8th

Tuesday, August 9th
What: Design Committee Meeting
Time: 12 to 1 pm
Where: Meet at the DNA office, 2 Douglas.

Thursday, August 11th
What: Economic Restructuring Committee Meeting
Time: 8 am
Where: Meet at the DNA office, 2 Douglas.

What: Brown Bag Lunch on Elgin's Music Teachers
David Brown will present a Brown Bag Lunch program on music teachers of Elgin. $3 admission, members free. Bring your lunch to eat during the program. Dessert and beverages supplied.
Time: 12 to 1 pm
Where: Elgin Area Historical Society and Museum at 360 Park St.

What: Harvest Market
Time: 12 to 6 pm
Where: Civic Center parking lot at the corner of Highland and Grove

Saturday, August 13th
What: Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival
Time: 12 pm
Where: Line-up is at 355 E. Chicago Street, parking lot of the U46 Admininistration building, at the corner of Gifford and East Chicago Street. Geneva, Division, and Douglas will be the main Parade routes. This event is organized by the Elgin Puerto Rican Parade Committee. For more information contact Nancy Acevedo.

What: Elgin Skyline Walking Tour
Meet at the city parking lot at the corner of Highland and Douglas. Tour lasts about an hour and a half. Join Mary Hill, Elgin Historian, and experience downtown Elgin from the bottom up and top down. See places you've never seen before. Enjoy Elgin's #1 best kept secret. Wear comfortable shoes! $5 per person, free for Elgin Historical Society members and children under 10.
Time: 1 pm
Where: Meet at the corner of Highland and Douglas.