Reflecting on The City's Successes In 2000

O'Fallon Illinois Mayor
Gary L. Graham

During 2000, we began construction on the Interstate 64 Exit 16. This project is on schedule and in about a year, O'Fallon will be one of the few communities having three exits off a highly traveled interstate. Once completed, this exit will help alleviate some of the traffic congestion we are currently experiencing.

Speaking of road improvements, we also opened an extended Pierce Boulevard this year. This provides a much needed access from Green Mount Road to Lincoln. In addition, by working with the township road commissioner, Seven Hills Road was widened and resurfaced. This provides a much-improved driving experience for all those who travel that route.

In the downtown area, we completed the resurfacing of the parking lot, landscaping, beautification and hope to get the third phase of resurfacing under way later in 2001.

Businesses, large and small, continue to locate in O'Fallon. This year, we registered 69 new businesses. We also welcomed another auto dealership, Nationwide Rentals Auto Sales, to our city. The year 2000 also brought more eating establishments to O'Fallon with the opening of Denny's Diner, O'Charley's, Dash and Dine and Pepper's Dining Co.

O'Fallon continued its impressive residential growth this past year. Through November, the city issued 219 permits for single-family homes, an increase of 16 homes from 1999. This represents about $28 million in new construction. Our commercial development continues with 15 building permits issued representing $13.7 million invested in our community. We also issued 38 permits for additions and alterations to commercial developments valued at $3.7 million.

On the recreation front, we began a total renovation of the Memorial Pool in the O'Fallon Community Park. When completed, the "new" pool will give our residents hours of enjoyment for years to come. People will also see much needed improvement made to the Cavins Center, including more parking.

We also improved and opened our newest outdoor facility, Rock Springs Park. This 106-acre nature reserve is a wonderful addition to our outstanding Parks and Recreation Department. In October, we opened a bike path, located in Hesse Park.

Construction on the new YMCA facility continued on schedule, and this wonderful new facility will be open to our residents in early February. What a tremendous way to start the new millennium.

However, we could not have completed any of these achievements without the input and support of the residents of O'Fallon. The residents provide the wonderful sense of community that is evident from the new developments north of the city, to the heart of the city, to Scott Air Force Base to the Central School area, and all areas in our city limits.

My staff and I thank the public for the trust, confidence and responsibility they place in our hands each day. We look forward to building on our success and helping to build an even better O'Fallon in 2001.