AURORA BOREALIS Summer 2013 | Page 4

Dear neighbor ,

Aurora offers more family fun than ever

It ’ s shaping up to be the most exciting summer Aurora has ever seen , with the opening of a new , outdoor entertainment venue and a jam-packed schedule of family events in our beautiful downtown , and elsewhere throughout our city .

The Celebration of Summer begins with the opening of Aurora ’ s newest riverfront attraction , RiverEdge Park . This permanent music venue is located on Rt . 25 with the convenient Metra Train Station ( ATC ) just across the street and the meandering Fox River bordering its west side . Popular Blues on the Fox will christen the park on Friday , June 14 and Saturday , June 15 , presenting the likes of Buddy Guy , Dr . John , Robert Randolph and the Family Band , and others .

Classic Rockers ( Peter Frampton ), Country Singers ( Loretta Lynn and Randy Travis ); Classical Artists ( Fox Valley Orchestra ); Broadway ( Idina Menzel ); Tribute Bands -- Full Moon Fever ( Tom Petty ), Get the Led Out ( Led Zeppelin ); and Mexican super-celebs , Joan Sabastian and Ramon Ayala , will be among the Stars who grace the high-tech stage throughout the summer and into September . The construction costs of the park have already been covered by grants from The Dunham Fund , State of Illinois , and Fox Valley Park District .

Our top-notch , annual 4 th of July Fireworks celebration will return to the downtown riverfront , this year , for the first time in a decade . There will be three main viewing areas : the new RiverEdge Park , McCollough Park , and Wilder Park . ( See the back page for details .)

Arts and Entertainment Growing in Aurora ’ s Downtown The huge success of the Paramount Theater and the June opening of RiverEdge Park may be just the beginning

of the arts and entertainment expansion in our downtown . Gorman and Company , a nationally renowned urban redeveloper , has a contract to purchase the two historic buildings that , until recently , served as Waubonsee Community College ’ s downtown campus . Gorman hopes to convert these buildings into Artists Live-Work Lofts , a concept they have succeeded at , elsewhere . And a Batavia-based developer is seeking a redevelopment deal with the City of Aurora to transform the former Elks Building ( Benton St . and Stolp Ave .), a beautiful and unique structure built in the 1920s in Mayan Revival architectural style . The developer envisions multiple arts and entertainment uses for the building . And look for Aliano ’ s Ristorante for fine Italian dining on New York Street ’ s Restaurant Row in late 2013 or early 2014 .

New Downtown Library In another boon for the arts in the downtown , a new Aurora Public Library is now under construction at the corner of River and Benton Streets . The library , made possible by a $ 10.8 million grant from the office of Jesse White , Illinois ’ Secretary of State and Chief Librarian , will be largely technologydriven and will be accessible on-line from Aurora schools and homes .

I hope you and yours can participate in all the family-friendly activities that Aurora has to offer this summer . After all , we ’ re doing it all for you !

Best Wishes ,

Mayor Tom Weisner

The Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual State of the City Address on March 21 . Before a capacity crowd of over 400 elected officials , business and civic leaders , Mayor Tom Weisner reviewed the accomplishments of 2012 and previewed some of the exciting initiatives for 2013 . With the theme “ Ready for Primetime ”, some of highlights of the State of the City Address included :

• Zero homicides in 2012 and violent crime rates that have decreased 40 % in the last 5 years – and 9 % in 2012 alone !

• $ 126 million dollars invested by Aurora businesses and 800 new jobs brought into the city !

• The $ 3.8 million dollars in TIF assistance approved by the City Council that brought another $ 27 million in private investment and will generate nearly 300 more jobs !

• The $ 8 million in property tax revenue generated in 2012 by TIF # 2 ( Chicago Premium Outlet Mall ) that was only generating $ 25,000 annually in 1989- a 32,000 % increase !

• The $ 1 million Gigabit Challenge Grant that Governor Pat Quinn presented during his visit to Aurora that will help provide schools , libraries , and healthcare facilities connectivity to City ’ s fiber optic network !

• The $ 10.8 million dollar Library Construction Grant that Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White presented during his visit to Aurora for the construction of the new Aurora Public Library !

• The $ 15 million in construction costs covered by the State of Illinois , the Fox Valley Park District , the Dunham Fund , and the Kane County Forest Preserve that will allow for the Grand Opening of Aurora ’ s RiverEdge Park !

These are just the tip of the iceberg of what has happened and what is to come . Watch the 2013 State of the City Address by visiting the City ’ s website at www . aurora-il . org and clicking on the ‘ Mayor ’ s Office ’ tab .