Main Street Awards Western IL
Link: http://www.standingupforillinois.org/feature.php?id=186
Lt. Governor Pat Quinn announced the winners of the 2007 Lt. Governor�s Awards for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization at the closing banquet of the 14th annual Illinois Main Street Conference, held in Danville�s David S. Palmer Arena.
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�These awards recognize the very best work by Illinois towns and cities to promote economic growth, tourism, historic preservation, and civic democracy in their downtown business districts,� Quinn said.� �I am proud to salute these members of the Illinois Main Street Program for their efforts, and I know the good example they set will benefit communities throughout the Land of Lincoln.�
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����������� The awards ceremony was the highlight of the Illinois Main Street Conference, held at the Danville Masonic Center, 109 W. North St.� Nearly 300 Main Street leaders, volunteers and local officials attended the conference.
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This year�s theme, �Main Street for All Seasons � Strategies for Sustainability,� was underscored by the keynote address, �Moving Beyond Change,� presented by Springfield-based consultant Kevin Lust.� Other presenters offered expert advice on marketing, promotions, public relations, and historic preservation.
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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.�
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2007 Main Street Award Recipients
Lt. Governor�s Awards for Excellence in Downtown Revitalization
�(Communities in alphabetical order)
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Aledo�
Aledo Main Street received the Ongoing Downtown Event award for Cinema@Central, honoring the organization for bringing a series of outdoor movies to the Central Park Band Shell.
Aledo Main Street also won the Partnership/Membership award for its Visual Membership flag program, which helped to increase membership pledges by 20% and led 95% of this year�s members to commit to a three-year partnership.
The conversion of the Heck and Anderson tractor dealership to �Blessed by Nature,� a thriving health food store, offering a wide range of products and services, won the Adaptive Reuse Project award.
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