By Logan Kuhns
GILLESPIE, IL – The State of Illinois recently granted the city of Gillespie $1 million to renovate its downtown.
Gillespie is being given the money through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Infrastructure bill that passed in May 2019.
The improvements to Gillespie’s downtown will include adding LED street lighting, relocating overhead utility lines below the street, planting new trees and native plants, planning better traffic control and adding more parking options for patrons of local businesses. The plan also includes adding new benches, trash cans, bike racks and other basic amenities to the streets downtown.
A large amount of the vision of the new downtown Gillespie has been put together by a group known as ‘Grow Gillespie.’ Grow Gillespie has been meeting since 2018 and is made up entirely of volunteers.
The Grow Gillespie initiative has been backed by State Senator Andy Manar since the start.
“Andy’s leadership and commitment to the area is unrivaled,” said Dan Fischer of Grow Gillespie.
Andy Manar believes the investment in infrastructure will open up jobs and economic activity.
“I know it will bring new businesses to Gillespie. A project like this has never failed to do that anywhere that I’ve seen it across the state,” Manar said.
You can find out more about Grow Gillespie and what they do by visiting www.growgillespie.org.