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.

Street Closing

Symphony Way will be closed from Grove Avenue east to the entrance of the city's parking deck as the water department replaces a fire hydrant beginning at 10 p.m. Sunday.
Crews will be working through the night and expect to be done by 7 a.m. Monday.
The road closure will not affect parking in the deck. Water will be shut off in the area, but service is expected to be restored before residents and guests return to the area.
For more information, contact Sue Olafson, Elgin's public information officer, at (847) 931-5601.
This information appeared in the News Digest section of the Saturday Courier News.

Four Parking Spots Added on Spring St.

Four new parking spots were added on the west side of Spring St. between Division and Highland. I spotted them on Saturday.

The Fine Arts and Bicycle Racing

This weekend brings us two events to broaden our horizons. First, on Saturday and Sunday, August 6th and 7th, the Elgin Fine Arts Festival returns to downtown in the Civic Center Plaza. This is the fourteenth year of the festival. Come downtown to gaze upon a variety of art forms, purchase your favorite piece and listen to some music while having lunch. The hours are 10 to 6 on Saturday and 11 to 4 on Sunday.

Second, on Sunday, August 7th, bicycle racing returns to Elgin. The Elgin Cycling Classic will loop through the downtown streets from early morning until evening. The criterium course is approximately one kilometer. Start is at E. Chicago and Spring; go north one block to Highland; left on Highland two blocks to Grove; left on Grove for three blocks; sharp left turn onto Spring for two blocks to the finish; repeat course. Read the Courier News article.

The schedule is as follows:
8 a.m. - Men's Citizen/Cat 5
Distance: 30 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $500

9 a.m. - Master Men's 40 and older
Distance: 30 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $1,000

10 a.m. - Master Men's 50 and older
Distance: 30 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $500

11 a.m. - Men's Cat 4
Distance: 40 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $750

Noon - Children's races
Race groups:
5- to 6-year-olds; 7- to 8-year-olds; 9- to 10-year-olds; and 11- to 12-year-olds
Entry fee: No charge
Prize: Ribbons for participants and trophies for the winners

1 p.m. - Handcycling race
Distance: 30 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: To be decided

2 p.m. - Women's Open
Distance: 40 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $1,000

3 p.m. - Men's Cat 3
Distance: 40 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $25
Prize: More than $2,025

4 p.m.- Men's Pro/Am
Distance: 60 minutes plus four laps
Entry fee: $40
Prize: More than $5,000

New Police Chief Sworn In

Our new Chief of Police, Lisa Womack, was sworn in today. A large crowd of police, city staff and media witnessed the brief ceremony. City manager, Femi Folarin, Mayor Schock and intermin Chief Robert Beeter spoke and city clerk, Loni Mecum, performed the swearing in. Femi kept the process moving. He said he wanted the chief to get to work.

Womack was selected from 50 applicants from across the country. Recently, she served as police chief of Sugar Land, Texas, a fast growing city outside of Houston, with a population of nearly 71,000.

Chief Womack and family, we welcome yaw'll to our city.

Historic Street Light Program Expanded

"Now"

The City of Elgin is adding historic street lights to the following streets:

Symphony Way from Douglas Ave to Dundee Ave
Douglas Ave from Symphony Way to Dexter
Spring Street from Kimball Street to Dexter
Center St from Kimball Blvd to Dundee Ave
There will also be two lights on College St.

Construction began July 20th.


"Later"

El Faro to be Featured on Elgin Today

El Faro Restaurant at 9 N. State St. will be featured on the Elgin Today television program. The show times are:

Tuesday, August 2nd at 7 pm
Saturday, August 6th at 10 am
Tuesday, August 9th at 7 pm
Saturday, August 13th at 10 am

The program is broadcast on Channel 17 on Comcast & Wide Open West.

Downtown Condos

There was an article on the downtown condo craze in Sunday's Daily Herald.

The downtown condo market is just hitting its stride, driven by Baby Boomers looking to downsize and young professionals looking for their first purchases, said Christine Kutt Zolt, marketing and sales director for Norwood Builders.

Imagine the market as a bell curve — on the far left are the pioneers who bought into the first suburban downtown condos 10 years ago, Kutt Zolt said. On the top of the curve is critical mass, where the condo is a generally accepted product.

“I really believe it’s just coming to critical mass” and will last another 10 to 15 years, Kutt Zolt said. “People don’t even think it’s unusual, and it’s where the market becomes very prime.”

It's Happening Downtown, the Week of August 1st

Monday, August 1st
What: Swearing in of new police chief, Lisa Womack.
Time: 8:30 am
Where: Elgin Police Station, 151 Douglas

Tuesday, August 2nd
What: Design Committee Neighborhood Walk
Time: 12 to 1 pm
Where: Meet at the DNA office, 2 Douglas. The area to be covered is bounded by Grove, Highland, Douglas and Chicago.

Thursday, August 4th
What: Harvest Market
Time: 12 to 6 pm
Where: Civic Center parking lot at the corner of Highland and Grove

Saturday, August 6th
What: Fine Arts Fest
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Civic Center Plaza, behind city hall

What: Carbo Load Ride
A leasure bike ride along the race route for the whole family. Free
Time: 6 pm
Where: Cafe Magdalena, 13 Douglas

What: Carbo Load Dinner
A pre-bike race dinner for the whole family. $15 for adults, $10 for children 10 & under
All you can eat pasta, salad and bread. Contact DNA for information and tickets, (847)488-1456
Time: 7 pm
Where: Cafe Magdalena, 13 Douglas

Sunday, August 7th
What: Elgin Cycling Classic, Daily Herald article (Registation required).
Time: 7:45 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Downtown Elgin, Spring to Highland to Grove

What: Fine Arts Fest
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Where: Civic Center Plaza, behind city hall

4th of July Parade Float Contest Winners

Patriotic
1. United Brothers of Carpenters and Joiners, Local 363
2. Sherman Hospital

Community Spirit
1. EFS Bank
2. ABODE

Creative
1. Elgin Theatre Co.
2. Elgin Church of the Nazarene

The Downtown Neighborhood Association and the City of Elgin extend a thank you to all the sponsors, participants, volunteers and spectators.