Gardens, Bikes, and Children’s Health
Community health is a concern for all of us. When it comes to children, we have a responsibility to provide safe, fun, and responsible models for healthy living. We’ve heard that children need 1 hour a day of physical activity to help them grow into healthy adults. This summer, Blue Island has focused on gardens and biking as a way to introduce healthy lifestyles.
On Saturday, October 2 a group of volunteers helped build a new community garden at the Tommy A. Brown Sports Association. The TABSA Garden features 2000 s.f. of garden plots and will be ready for gardeners next spring. Excited, kids from the neighborhood were invited to plant some cold-weather crops, including hearty greens and carrots. Getting kids involved in gardening is a rewarding way to introduce new tastes - the time and hard work put into growing crops almost ensures they’ll try it! Even for old favorites, growing in a community garden is good for your health, providing the freshest produce and reducing pollution.
School District 130’s Bike Day takes a unique spin on International Walk to School Day with their “WALK-N-ROLL” event. Wednesday, October 5, around 400 kids - most from Kerr and Veterans - take over the streets of Blue Island by bike, touring past each elementary school in Blue Island. It’s a unique experience for the children, and the freedom of a large group ride brings smiles to all. Imagine what fun you’d have riding up the middle of Western Ave with a pack of your friends! Graduates from Cal-Sag Cycles helped lead the pack, demonstrating safe and responsible bike skills.
We’re seeing a true community effort being built here in Blue Island, and it shows with all the support from local business. For the community garden, thanks to all that donated time and materials: Doran’s Landscape, Blue Island Equipment Rental, Ultra Foods, and El Ranchito. For bike day, thanks to: SD130 School Board, teachers and staff at Kerr and Vets, and the Cal-Sag Cycles crew.
Nominate Now for Cavalcade 2011
The FORUM is accepting nominations NOW for September’s Cavalcade of Pride, an annual event that recognizes homeowners, businesses, gardens and blocks that have gone the extra mile to make their properties - and in turn, our community - look its best.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE 2011 CAVALCADE OF PRIDE NOMINATION FORM
For over 20 years, the Blue Island FORUM, the Historical Society, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the City of Blue Island has sponsored this annual award. In 2011, the Cavalcade of Pride also celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the City’s Historic Preservation Commission and the founding of the Olde Western Historic District. What a remarkable milestone!
Don’t delay, nominate your neighbors today and be a part of this terrific event. For more, visit our partners:
Streetscape Improvements for Western Ave
As part of a TIF-funded project to improve Union Street, Western Avenue is seeing a significant streetscape project finally come to fruition. Located on the east side of Western between Union and High Streets, improved landscaping at this location has long been a goal. Begun by Main Street, the project was recently picked up by Christy Webber Landscape, who redesigned the block following the recommendations of the Blue Island Plan.
In the 2009 Blue Island Plan update charettes, streetscaping - in particular street trees - were the top priority for participants. With this in mind, CWL removed the existing confiers to be replaces with pedestrian friendly shade trees. The additional trees will also help combat the “heat island effect” by shading parking areas, as well as soak up stormwater, improving the quality of our waterways. Trees will be installed every 25 ft, with alternating shrubs and grasses.
It should come as no surprise that trees rated so high with our Uptown charette group. Retail research has shown the importance of environmental cues. A University of Washington study (2009) showed that consumer ratings increase with the presence of trees. “Trees were associated with higher ratings of amenity and visual quality,” the report’s author noted in Main Street News. They also found that shoppers traveled longer distances, more often, and will spend more time in commercial districts that are green with street trees. Not only that, when comparing the prices of goods, respondents associated higher price points with tree-lined commercial districts.
Complete Streets is a Go!
Blue Islanders, you’ve done us proud. By a 13-1 vote, the City of Blue Island adopted Illinois’ FIRST Complete Streets ORDINANCE - a historic moment for our community.
The steering committee that helped draft Blue Island’s Complete Streets Ordinance began by recognizing that we already benefit from “complete streets” - a connected street grid with a compact, urban form, plenty of sidewalks, and lots of transit. What our Ordinance helps us accomplish is a firm commitment to building upon this tradition
What does this mean for you? Well…
- The new ordinance applies to ALL streets, in EVERY ward.
- New road improvements are required to provide facilities that make the roadway convenient for ALL users. This includes pedestrians and bicyclists, but also handicapped, the elderly, youth - as the ordinance states, accommodating all ages and abilities.
- Key routes near schools, parks, commuter stations, as well as all arterial roads have been “prioritized” by the City. The design of these streets will be assisted by the Plan Commission, providing a forum for public involvement.
The City has adopted progressive design standards, developed by the Federal Highway Administration, to guide new roadway projects. In addition, we have begun using Level of Service calculators provided by the League of Illinois Bicyclists. The ordinance identifies roadways with a score of “B” or better as established complete streets. All other roadways will be required to be to be improved.
Want to see if your street is “complete”? Visit these online calculators - and let us know how you score! The Plan Commission will begin looking at creating baseline measures, so watch this space for more future complete streets news.
Statewide Historic Preservation Conference
The City of Blue Island helped sponsor this year’s Illinois Statewide Historic Preservation Conference, held June 2-4 at Lewis & Clark College near Alton, IL.
Old is Our New Green was the conference theme. The event kicked off with a screening of The Greenest Building, and director Jane Turville was on hand to introduce the film and take questions. The Greenest Building addresses the role historic buildings will play in our future and helps refocus “green” as a commitment to sustainability, which economic, social, and ecological dimensions. Keynote speakers included Jean Carroon, architect and author of Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings and Walter Sedovic, who told the crowd “Historic buildings are green by nature. New buildings should be green with envy.”
Old is the new green means that not only are our “old” buildings now expected to complete a in a newly “green” world, but that they’re able to hold their own.
