Gurnee's Welton Village Plaza about to take shape

Plans are proceeding for construction of a pergola at Richard A. Welton Village Plaza in Gurnee.

Village board trustees have approved spending $64,107 on the pergola for the plaza that'll be built on Old Grand Avenue. Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the pergola work is expected to start in the spring.

"All the board members and myself are looking forward to restoring the site for the community to use and enjoy," Kovarik said.

Welton, who was mayor from 1973 to 2001, died in July. He attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the 1-acre site in September 2014.

In addition to the 60-foot-diameter, half-circle pergola, the gathering place is to include rain gardens, perennial plantings, seating, a bicycle rack and bronze markers indicating Gurnee milestones and Welton's contributions. It'll be on vacant public land just east of the Des Plaines River that was once home to the village hall, police headquarters and public works facility.

Village Engineer Scott Drabicki said four companies submitted proposals and pitched various materials for the pergola, such as pine, cedar, vinyl-covered aluminum and synthetic fiber-covered aluminum.

Drabicki said a plaza evaluation committee agreed the synthetic fiber-covered aluminum will provide the best balance of quality, aesthetics and value for the $64,000 expense for the winning bid by New World Restoration of Broadview, which the village board approved Monday night.

Kovarik said the committee made a good choice for the pergola's material.

"The pergola will be installed at the highest point on the property and greenery will be added to it," she said. "It's the focal point of the site and staff wanted to make sure the material was sustainable through harsh weather and any future flooding and not require constant maintenance."

Some private-sector donations have been made to the village to help with the plaza's costs. The latest came at Monday night's village board session when Gurnee Chamber of Commerce Chairman Dan Kloczkowski presented a $3,000 check in Welton's memory to Kovarik.

Kloczkowski said the money was raised through a silent auction that was part of the chamber's annual celebration in September at the Chocolate Sanctuary on Washington Street, a newcomer on Gurnee's dining scene. Kloczkowski said he plans to meet after the holidays with Trustee Cheryl Ross and other Welton Village Plaza committee members to discuss further private fundraising.

"We really got a lot of participation in (the auction)," Kloczkowski said. "It was one of the chamber's better events."

Kovarik said the village will set aside "a small amount of money" during the next three years for infrastructure and further property restoration.

Preparation work for a central patio was finished earlier this year to prepare for a central patio. Drabicki said the patio will be surrounded on the west side by the 60-foot-diameter, half-circle pergola.