Decatur Main Street

Link: http://www.standingupforillinois.org/feature.php?id=164

This Friday, Oct. 19, 2007, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn will join with local and state officials to salute the city of Decatur, which will be officially inducted into the Illinois Main Street program.

 

Quinn will unveil the Illinois Main Street community sign.  Signs soon will be placed at the entrances to Decatur.

 

�We salute the dedicated Decatur residents and business owners who have volunteered countless hours to creating a vibrant Downtown District,� Quinn said.  �The Decatur City Centre organization is using technology, community events and good old fashioned word of mouth to create a thriving a hub for entertainment, tourism and community events in the downtown area.�

 

Residents and visitors alike are already enjoying streetscape improvements to the Downtown District, a popular Farmers Market and a lively Mardi Gras celebration.  And the Illinois Main Street program ensures that more positive changes are on the horizon.

 

Quinn will be joined at the designation ceremony by Rep. Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth), Rep. Bob Flider (D-Decatur), Mayor Paul Osborne, City Centre Decatur President Glenna Ashley and City Centre Decatur board members.

 

The Lt. Governor�s Office administers the Illinois Main Street program that is based on a national model that offers communities help with issues such as downtown improvements, historic preservation and economic development.  Illinois is one of 40 states that belong to the National Main Street Program, administered through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  There are now 67 communities in the Illinois Main Street program. 

 

Illinois Main Street represents one of the state's most effective public-private partnerships for economic development and community renewal.  Since its inception, designated communities have reported net gains of more than 1,600 new downtown businesses and created more than 6,000 new full and part-time jobs.  The Main Street program has spurred the reinvestment of more than $575 million in Main Street downtowns. 

 

For more information about the Illinois Main Street program, please visit: www.IllinoisMainStreet.org.