For several weeks, Antioch seemed it was a magnet for bad news. There was a spate of dreadful occurrences last month, rarities for the normally tranquil town in Lake County’s far northwest corner.
Let’s review the trouble that visited the village and its environs which kept first responders busy:
* Polson’s, the longtime health food store in Antioch’s downtown, was totaled after a driver slammed his truck into the business on Main Street (Route 83), causing the building to be structurally shaky.
* A former worker at a garage on Route 173 just west of the village was charged with arson after allegedly torching a motorcycle at the business.
* A 52-year-old Mount Prospect man drowned while swimming on Lake Catherine in unincorporated Antioch.
* Ken Clark, 84, the well-known veteran attorney who for years was the village’s municipal attorney, died of burns suffered after a barn on his property, near the village, exploded while a tractor was being gassed up.
Then there was the frightening injury to a young boy at the annual Taste of Antioch summer festival. The 10-year-old went flying off a carnival ride, suffering critical injuries.
The accident caused the closing of the fest and a criminal investigation into the ride’s operator, All Around Amusement of Lockport. Antioch police, Illinois Department of Labor officials and the Lake County state’s attorney’s office continue to probe the accident and its cause.
Despite all the awful news, there also occurred last month an event that in the long term should eclipse some of the recent mayhem. It is the continuation of the transformation of the village’s downtown.
Mayor Scott Gartner called redeveloping a vacant auto dealership into a new park another “giant step” forward in Antioch. Late last month, officials broke ground for the project, once the Don Pittman Pontiac/Subaru car lot. Completion is expected by next summer.
The triangular piece of property, bordered by Main, Orchard and Depot streets in the village’s core, had been considered a civic blemish for decades. At one time, officials had hoped Pittman Motors would be repurposed as a mixed-use commercial and residential site.
That was not in the 4.5-acre site’s future. Instead, the village bought the parcel for $110,000 in 2020. Now, it will be turned into open space.
When finished, Antioch’s newest park will have a splash pad, accessible playground, public performance space featuring a gazebo and a concession/cafe area with restrooms, officials announced in a news release. Plus, there will be flood mitigation from reopening Sequoit Creek.
“This development project will provide a major boost in tourism and economic development opportunities for the village of Antioch, while also addressing stormwater management issues and preserving natural open space in our community,” Gartner said in a statement. “This blighted piece of property will soon be transformed into a beautiful community space that will be a year-round attraction for visitors to our downtown business district.”
It’s not a cheap undertaking. To turn the eyesore into what is envisioned will cost an estimated $12.5 million.
In May, the Village Board tapped Boller Construction Co., of Waukegan, as the winning bidder for the project. Officials say financing for the project comes in part from $1.9 million in American Recovery Plan Act funding and a Lake County Stormwater Management Commission grant of $2.75 million.
The rest will be financed through general obligation bonds which will be repaid by business district sales tax revenue. Antioch officials said the project will not mean an additional tax burden for village property owners.
The Stormwater Management Commission is involved because of the restoration of Sequoit Creek. A metal culvert was installed roughly 50 years, but by 2019 it had failed, blocking the flow of the creek.
Heavy rains and corrosion of the steel caused the culvert to collapse, creating a sinkhole. That in turn became a flooding hazard for the village’s downtown and threatening flooding for upstream properties.
With the new park use, though, a restored Sequoit Creek will be reclaimed as a “creek walk.” Paths will be bordered by native plants suggested by Antioch Garden Club members.
“When it’s done, anyone who’s lived in Antioch at some point in their life and played there, or saw the car dealership when it was there, or the gas stations … this will be a gem; an absolute gem,” Antioch Garden Club President Holly Swehla said last month.
Brightening up that portion of the village’s downtown offers a promising destination for residents and visitors. The project should enhance the amenities of a central business district that remains strong, despite competition from big-box stores in Antioch’s eastern reaches.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor. [email protected]. Twitter: @sellenews
