Volunteers spruce up Geneva info kiosk

Good old volunteer spirit has spiffed up another corner in downtown Geneva.

The canopied information kiosk by the Kane County Courthouse at Third and Franklin streets had become a neglected repository for taxi-service stickers, baby-sitter-available notices and the like. Not what was intended when it was installed in 1976, as part of improvements made to celebrate the nation's Bicentennial.

"It did nothing for the city and the downtown area," Alderman Sam Hill said.

But a contest to design a replacement resulted in a winner that Hill and other longtime Genevans couldn't stomach -- a 14-foot-tall thing that some said looked like an inside-out umbrella, made of stainless steel, with an acrylic canopy that had a leaf pattern in it. It would have benches, lights and electronic signage.

"That seemed to be rather unique and contemporary and out of character with the old Kane County Courthouse," Hill said.

Although the Historic Preservation Commission approved the design 5-2, Hill and others questioned whether it really fit in with the rest of the historic downtown district, with its many buildings constructed in the 19th Century.

And it was going to be expensive; some rough estimates put the cost north of $200,000.

The plan fizzled.

But the city's Downtown Partnership Committee, consisting of business and city officials, decided this spring something had to be done. Hill and Paper Merchant owner Steve Burnham got the task. (Job 1 was to find out who actually owned it and ask their permission. It is on county land, but it turns out the city paid for it.)

And those who had complained about the previous plan were quick to help out. Colin and Gloria Ann Campbell, who live nearby on Sixth Street, took care of most of the painting, Hill said, along with Ron Stevenson. The new color is meant to tie in to the red brick of the courthouse.

They discovered there were lights in the kiosk, and got those running again.

The city and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce came up with new informational posters, including a current list and map of downtown Geneva businesses. The Geneva History Center is also expected to contribute a poster. Hill is especially pleased the work was done without spending taxpayer money. The paint was donated by the JC Licht store, the poster mounting work by the Great Frame-Up.

Even the flowers around the kiosk were donated _ although nobody seems to know who planted them. "Another volunteer situation, without even being asked," Hill marveled.

"The main thing is we got it looking nice and keeping in with the appearance of downtown Geneva and the county courthouse."