Call for nominations for Mayor's Awards honoring preservation efforts
The Elgin Heritage Commission is seeking nominations for the 2015 Elgin Mayor's Awards for Historic Preservation.
In addition to honoring the outstanding contributions of Elgin citizens in their efforts to preserve the city's heritage, the annual awards also serve as an opportunity to educate the community about the value Elgin's architecture, neighborhoods and history. The awards also further the Heritage Commission's goals of neighborhood and downtown revitalization to benefit the entire city of Elgin.
Applications are available on the city's website, cityofelgin.org/mayorawards and at the Community Development Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, IL 60120. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27.
The Mayor's Awards are given to persons, groups and organizations who lead a preservation project, save one or more historical properties, educate and promote an awareness of Elgin's heritage, conduct creative historic projects relating to archival or object collections, or maintain a continuous cultural or historical organization for 50 years or more.
Additionally, three special awards will also be presented.
• The Mayor George Van De Voorde Award is given to an individual recognizing the continuing vigor, imagination and persistence in preserving Elgin's heritage.
• The William Stickling Award honors achievements in the adaptive reuse of industrial and commercial buildings.
• The Artisan Award recognizes the exemplary work of a contractor, craftsman or artisan in the preservation and restoration of Elgin's architectural heritage.
Elgin's Heritage Commission will select winners who will then be honored at the annual Mayor's Awards for Preservation, held each May during National Preservation Month.
The 2015 Mayor's Awards event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., eighth floor in Elgin. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. with a ceremony recognizing the outstanding contributions of Elgin's awardees to follow at 7 p.m.
For information or to obtain a nomination form, call Sarosh Saher in the Community Development Department at (847) 931-5943.
The Elgin Heritage Commission is a citizen's advisory commission that promotes Elgin's historic preservation activity through the protection, maintenance and preservation of the city's architectural, historic and cultural resources. The commission is composed of nine voting members appointed by the mayor with the consent of the Elgin City Council.