Sangamon Sun

City of Springfield issued the following announcement on July 20.

The dedication of Bicentennial Plaza, a REALTOR® Community Partnership next

month in downtown Springfield will mark the milestone anniversary of the adoption of the state’s

constitution.

A signature event of the Illinois Bicentennial on Illinois Constitution Day will take place at 3:15 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 26. Bicentennial Plaza fulfills a long-held vision for the city of Springfield for a pedestrian

walkway linking the Lincoln Home National Historic Site to the newly restored Governor’s Mansion along

the Jackson Street corridor. The Governor’s Mansion opened to the public July 14 and will be open for

morning tours during the Aug. 26 celebration.

The ceremony is free and open to the public.

"In many ways, the Plaza completes the vision for the renovated Mansion," said Illinois Gov. Bruce

Rauner. "It connects historic sites and enhances the visitor experience in ways that emphasize Illinois

history and hospitality. The statement is made all the more eloquent by the fact that we are marking the

passageway on the birthday of our passage into statehood."

The Illinois Bicentennial Route 66 Motorcycle Ride led by Gov. Bruce Rauner will culminate at

Bicentennial Plaza. The ceremony will kick-off with a performance by the University of Illinois Marching

Illini, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The dedication will conclude with the cutting of

a birthday cake from Eli’s Cheesecake and a performance by the Ravinia Jazz Scholars Alumni Band at

4:15 P.M.

The $2.3 million project was built on land donated for use north of Illinois REALTORS® headquarters

located between South Fifth and South Sixth streets. The plaza connects separate segments of Jackson

Street.

The city of Springfield contributed $1 million in TIF funds to the plaza project, with the balance being

made up from donations to and contributions from Illinois REALTORS®.

“It has been a strong desire of the city to connect our Lincoln Home area to the Governor’s Mansion

through a pedestrian corridor. This project took a surfaced parking lot and transformed it into a

magnificent, walkable outdoor space,” said Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder. “We cannot thank the

Illinois REALTORS® enough for this gift to our community and for turning this vision into reality. We are

proud to have partnered on this project that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”

Bicentennial Plaza includes 16 interpretive panels presenting the people, places and events that tie to

the struggle to achieve President Lincoln’s vision for America as a land of equal opportunity for all. They

include information on Frederick Douglass, who spoke in Springfield on the anniversary of Lincoln’s

death; Frances Gage, who fought for women’s suffrage; and Anderson Holman, a Springfield developer

who provided badly needed affordable housing.

“Bicentennial Plaza is a gift not just to Springfield, but to all of Illinois,” said Illinois REALTORS®

President Matt Difanis, broker-owner of RE/MAX Realty Associates in Champaign. “We’re excited to be

able to provide a venue to celebrate this significant date in the state’s history, and we think this plaza will

serve as community centerpiece for visitors to learn more about the state we all love.”

Original source can be found here.