BOREALIS RiverEdge Park construction slated to start this summer Come Celebrate Independence Day July 4 Parade and Fireworks See pages 4, 6 & 8 INSIDE Farmers market opens for the season with a fresh new look pages 2 & 3 Recycle those unwanted electronics for free page 3 he City of Aurora is expected to up to 9,500 people with flexible modular seating, City going green to combat start construction in July on lawn area and rooftop viewing area. The Music pesky mosquitoes this summer the new RiverEdge Park. Garden also will contain a guest services building page 3 The park will be a destination with a ticket window, concessions and restrooms. Shape Aurora’s future sewer Thotspot for community events and help bolster The venue is expected to be completed in improvements by taking survey economic development in the downtown. October 2012. page 6 The Aurora City Council recently approved Aside from the Music Garden, other park hiring Aurora-based R.C. Wegman Co. as the amenities will include a children’s play area, project’s construction manager. The firm built fountains, walking paths, a pedestrian bridge the Aurora Police Department’s Training and and open natural areas. Support building and parking deck, Fox Valley The City has secured $15 million in grant Park District’s Cole Center, the Phillips Park money to use toward the public/private Visitors Center and many area parks. venture, including $8 million from the RiverEdge Park will be located along the Fox Illinois Department of Commerce and River between New York Street and Illinois Economic Opportunity (DCEO) River Avenue. The Music Garden, which will be the Edge Revitalization Zone program, first phase of construction, will be built across $3 million from the Fox Valley Park the street from the Aurora Transportation Center, District, $2 million from the Kane 233 N. Broadway Ave. The entertainment venue County Forest Preserve District and $2 will serve as a cultural events hub within a natural million from the Dunham Fund. setting of the Fox River and downtown. For more information about Once completed, the Dunham Pavilion will host RiverEdge Park, visit the City’s the Blues on the Fox and Downtown Alive! website at www.aurora-il.org. concert series and other community events for City of Aurora Summer 2011 www.aurora-il.org From the Mayor’s Desk Plenty of exciting changes coming to Downtown Aurora this summer he flowers that grace our awaited Billy Goat has now become an downtown each summer were ownership partner in the project, but legal Farmers Market already in bloom on Memorial wrangles with a local property holder Day as a record crowd lined in foreclosure are currently keeping the serves up new T the streets for the biggest project from completing the next phase. and best Memorial Day Parade in additions this year The new “Paddle and Trail” canoe, recent memory. kayak and bicycle sales and rental store he 2011 Aurora Farmers Less than a week later, we celebrated the has opened at the corner of North River Market will offer plenty of opening of the beautiful new Waubonsee and Spruce streets, close to both the fresh food and flowers this Community College Downtown Aurora Fox River and Fox River Bike Trails. year along with a brand new Campus. The campus includes a block- T This great new riverfront amenity had location on the Far East side. long 135,000-square-foot building full of almost ninety rentals on its first weekend classrooms and state-of-the-art labs. The in business. The City’s market enters its 99th lovely riverfront campus includes two year bringing a wide assortment of: An Aurora firm, R.C. Wegman levels of FoxWalk, Aurora’s riverwalk. Construction, will serve as construction • Farm-fresh produce Our downtown continues to improve, manager for RiverEdge Park, the Organic food although the overall economy, tight credit, long-awaited new riverfront recreation • and a weak housing market have slowed and music venue that is scheduled to • Fresh bread and baked goods progress in some cases. begin construction in July. The site is directly across Route 25 from the Aurora • Fine wines The former Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Transportation Center, on the northern should be the Two Brothers Roundhouse • Fresh flowers edge of our downtown. RiverEdge Park by the time you read this letter. Brothers will serve not only as Aurora’s primary • And more! Jim and Jason Ebel already own a rapidly riverfront open space and event venue, growing micro-brewery and a highly but also as a major attraction to nearby For more information, successful restaurant in Warrenville. private investment in the riverfront area. visit the City’s website It was “love at first sight” when Jim and Jason visited the Roundhouse, the Funding for construction of the first at www.aurora-il.org. only full-standing limestone railroad phase of the multi-phased RiverEdge round house in North America. Their Park project has been provided by the commitment to high-quality food (often Dunham Fund, Fox Valley Park District, locally grown and organic) and top- Kane County Forest Preserve and the notch beers like Domaine DuPage should State of Illinois. Get City news, make the Roundhouse better than ever. events and alerts This issue of the Aurora Borealis Banquets and musical entertainment will highlights a number of exciting events delivered right to your inbox continue under Two Brothers. taking place in downtown Aurora this Whether you have big travel plans or are Restaurant Row on New York Street summer. I encourage you and your family staying close to home this summer, the really began with Ballydoyle Irish Pub to mark your calendars and experience all and Eatery, which opened in 2009. downtown Aurora has to offer. City’s email updates will keep you in the Along with great food and entertainment loop on what is going on in your Enjoy your Summer. of both Irish and Rock-n-Roll genres, community. Sign up on our website by Ballydoyle’s outdoor deck overlooking Sincerely, entering your email address and selecting the river is now in full swing. Across the your topics of interest. street, Chef Amaury’s Bistro provides gourmet dining, the Comfort Zone www.aurora-il.org serves scrumptious barbeque and La Tom Weisner Quinta de los Reyes makes fresh salsa Mayor, City of Aurora All Aurora INFO and guacamole at your table. The long All the Time 2 City of Aurora Summer 2011 www.aurora-il.org City of Aurora Summer 2011 www.aurora-il.org 2011 Farmers Market Schedule WANTED SATURDAYS 7:30 a.m. to noon NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 22 Aurora Transportation Center, 233 N. Broadway Ave. Your old electronics for recycling TUESDAYS (New!) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. JULY 12 THROUGH Central Garage facility Customer Service Center, AUGUST 30 720 N. Broadway Ave. 3770 McCoy Drive Spring Lake Park, 3500 McCoy Drive July 9 July 23 Aug. 6 Aug. 20 WEDNESDAYS Sept. 10 Sept. 24 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 8 Oct. 22 Nov. 5 Nov. 19 JULY 6 THROUGH Dec. 3 Dec. 17 AUGUST 31 West Aurora Plaza Shopping Center, For a list of accepted items and complete information: 1901 W. Galena Blvd. Call 630-256-INFO or visit www.aurora-il.org Aurora going green to keep mosquito population lean he City of Aurora is going green this year to help ward Want more information? off pesky mosquitoes during its annual abatement program. For more details on Aurora’s Mosquito Abatement program, visit the City’s website at The City’s Street Maintenance Division has placed 12,000T Natular tablets that last up to 180 days into catch basins www.aurora-il.org or call Clarke Environmental and other large sources of standing water. These tablets, which are at 800-942-2555. a certified-organic product that mosquito larvae feed upon, will the 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Presidential prevent the insects from growing into adults. Green Chemistry Challenge Award. “Aurora actively seeks out the best environmental profiles in the Clarke Environmental, a private contractor hired by the City, also products we use,” said Brett Weiler, Street Maintenance Division will monitor five mosquito traps placed throughout the community. superintendent. “Natular is categorized as a reduced risk larvicide, If the number of female mosquitoes exceeds 30 in a particular and it is a smart addition to our mosquito control arsenal.” trap – the female mosquitoes are the ones that bite – the Street Aurora and Bolingbrook are the first two communities in the Maintenance Division will spray insecticide in the area to reduce the Chicago area to be using the Natular tablets. The product received mosquito population. City of Aurora Summer 2011 www.aurora-il.org City of Aurora Summer 2011 www.aurora-il.org 3 Tear out and save! Aurora Comes Alive in Summer 2011! to Middle Avenue. The event is sponsored Electronics recycling June by the Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Post 84 in partnership with the City of City’s Central Garage facility, Saturday, June 25 Aurora. For more information, visit www. 720 N. Broadway Ave. Homeownership Expo post84.com or www.aurora-il.org. The City of Aurora’s popular electronics 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Independence Day Fireworks recycling program continues as a safe way Quad County Urban League, to dispose of unwanted electronics at the 1685 N. Farnsworth Ave. 6 to 10 p.m. Central Garage facility. See the ad on page Residents interested in owning a home are Illinois Math & Science Academy, 3 for more information.