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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex G. Alexandrou, Chief Management Officer
Trevor Dick, AICP, LEED AP, Director of Development Strategy and Development
DATE: December 7, 2020
SUBJECT:
A Resolution to Approve the Acceptance of a Donation Agreement with the American Philhellenes Society for Installation of a Commemorative Monument at Wilder Park.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of approving the resolution is to enter into a donation agreement with the American Philhellenes Society (“Society”) who plans to construct, install, and donate a commemorative monument at Wilder Park.
BACKGROUND:
The American Philhellenes Society is a certified 501c3 nonprofit organization established to identify, highlight and honor those Americans who supported and/or fought for the independence of Greece during the years 1810-1840 and to recognize and make known their contributions to the cause of freedom and democracy. The Society’s efforts to date have included significant educational, historical and cultural presentations in Athens, Greece, Washington DC, Indiana, Wisconsin, and numerous locations in Illinois including Aurora in 2007. They have issued a series of commemorative stamps to memorialize George Jarvis and William Washington, both Americans who fought alongside the Greek freedom fighters in the Greek War of Independence. Additionally in Wisconsin, the Society located and restored the gravesite of Lucas Miltiades Miller, an orphan of the Greek War, who was adopted by American Col. Jonathan Peckham Miller while in Greece and went on to serve the State of Wisconsin as the first Greek American in the United States Congress. The Society erected an obelisk monument at his gravesite at Riverside Cemetery in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and held a program at the University of Wisconsin to commemorate the occasion. Lastly the Society also has erected a similar monument in Greece to commemorate the heroic efforts of the Americans who fought in the Greek War of Independence.
DISCUSSION:
The American Philhellenes Society plans to erect the monument in 2021 to commemorate the bicentennial of the Greek Revolution of 1821. The monument will also acknowledge the ongoing close ties between the United States and Greece, and is intended to be a teaching tool into the history of Greece, the Greek Revolution and the significant part played by Americans in support of Greece.
The Society reviewed several locations around the Chicago area including several in Aurora and settled on Aurora and Wilder Park based on its existing memorials, central location and the overall plan for rejuvenation of the park including the new promenade project. The Society has also received positive support from the Greek Embassy in Washington DC, the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Greek Ministry of Tourism, Chicago and Aurora area Greek American communities as well as from Mayor Irvin and city staff.
The monument will serve as an educational and historical gathering point and resource for students, educators and individuals from the Chicago metropolitan area as well as a cultural attraction for visitors to Aurora from the United States and other countries. The monument will also honor the Aurora-area Greek-American community.
Because of their request, staff has identified an area in Wilder Park that we believe to be appropriate for the monument in the southwest section of the park. Please see the attached map that shows the proposed location. Staff has also identified as a future concept plan additional places in the park where the Society's monument if approved will prompt or encourage other cultural or ethnic groups to donate additional commemorative monuments which could be located to create a new monument area. As shown on the attachment within the wooded areas closest to Lake Street the proposed Greek monument would fit in with the older existing Wilder monument and the Vietnam Memorial near the base of the flagpole. There is also the potential for creation of a “Ring of Honor” around the existing flagpole joining the existing Vietnam Memorial. Staff hopes that this area of the park could become a unique attraction and location providing an opportunity to continue to tell the City’s diverse history, much like the memorial monuments do at Phillips Park.
To be most cost effective, the Society plans to purchase and install the monument directly. Attached is Society's architectural drawing of the monument and site plan which City staff has reviewed and approved. The Society estimates the cost of purchase, fabrication and installation to be approximately $100,000 with no expense to the City.
Delivery of the monument to the jobsite is expected to be no later than February 28, 2021 and the installation of the monument is to be completed no later than March 15, 2021. This would allow enough time to install the sidewalks, the pavers at the base of the monument and landscape/sod restoration.
Attached also is the proposed Wilder Park Donation Agreement which has been reviewed and approved by City Legal as well as the Society and reflects all of the obligations of both the Society as donor and the City as recipient of the monument.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Long-term maintenance costs are expected to be minimal.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution approving the acceptance of the donation agreement with the American Philhellenes Society, to install a commemorative monument at Wilder Park.
ATTACHMENTS:
Location Map in Wilder Park
Architectural Renderings
Wilder Monument Donation Agreement
cc: Infrastructure and Technology Committee (I&T)
Alderwoman Juany Garza, Chairperson
Alderman William "Bill" Donnell, Vice Chairperson
Alderman Sherman Jenkins
Alderman Judd Lofchie
Alderman Theodoros “Ted” Mesiacos
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution To Approve the Acceptance of a Donation Agreement with the American Philhellenes Society for Installation of a Commemorative Monument at Wilder Park.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the American Philhellenes Society was established to identify, highlight and honor those Americans who supported and/or fought for the independence of Greece during the years 1810-1840 and to recognize and make known their contributions to the cause of freedom and democracy; and
WHEREAS, the American Philhellenes Society plans to erect a monument within Wilder Park in 2021 to honor American Philhellenes and commemorate the bi-centennial of the Greek Revolution of 1821.
WHEREAS, the monument will serve as a cultural, educational and historical gathering point for students, educators and individuals from the Chicago/Aurora area as well as visitors from the United States and other countries and honor the Aurora-area Greek-American community; and
WHEREAS, the parties have agreed to enter into a donation agreement for installation and donation of the commemorative monument at Wilder Park.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, hereby authorizes the Mayor to execute the attached donation agreement with the American Philhellenes Society to accept their donation of a commemorative monument at Wilder Park.