Main Street Blue Island

Board votes to withdraw from

Main Street Illinois Program

With requirements that were getting increasingly difficult to meet from the Main Street Illinois and Federal Main Street programs as well as losing an important fundraiser, the Main Street Blue Island Board of Directors voted at their January meeting to dissolve the organization. 

On January 29^th, the Board met with Mayor Don Peloquin who thanked the Board, volunteers and Directors of Main Street Blue Island for all they have done for the city in the 11 plus years they have been working for Blue Island. Through Main Street, there have been many facades rehabbed in town making our uptown business district much more appealing. Countless events have been planned to attract visitors to our uptown businesses and to try to raise awareness of the great businesses and citizens we have here in Blue Island. 

Recognizing the benefits Main Street has provided to the City, the Mayor told the board that he wants to capitalize on what Main Street has done. They will be bringing Rita Pacyga, Main Street’s Office Manager, on staff to continue working on the events under the Marketing and Planning Departments. She will work on coordinating the TGIF Picnics, the annual Light Parade and the St. Francis Hospital Blue Island ProAm Bike Race as well as helping to coordinate the Regatta, a Venetian Night as well as some other events.

She will also need to raise the money to pay for these events, however, the goal will be to recoup the costs associated with them (which are many) and not necessarily to make money to fund the operations. The Mayor would also like Rita to work on maintaining the volunteer base, which may be difficult, but not impossible. 

In addition, the Mayor said he would like to maintain the Design and Economic Restructuring Committees that were part of the Main Street Blue Island program. Without the worries of raising money to pay for office expenses like insurance and the costs associated with attending all of the out of town meetings required by Main Street Illinois as well as paying for the events that are sponsored, the focus can be directed more to the planning of the events and making them fun for everyone in the City. These events make Blue Island a great place in which to live, work and do business. 

 the years to accomplish all that it has accomplished. It truly could not have succeeded as it has without the help of

 the volunteers who did the planning and the work for the events around town as well as serving on the various

 committees. If you have any questions or would like information on volunteering, please call Rita Pacyga at

 708.388.5735 or the Mayor’s Office.