Bringing the past into the future

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SPRING VALLEY — More than 100 years ago, an interurban street car began making the rounds among local cities such as LaSalle, Spring Valley, DePue, Bureau and Princeton, weaving together the residents, businesses and amusements of the area.

Today, Spring Valley Mayor Cliff Banks would like to bring that togetherness back.

On Monday, Banks announced his plan to a group of about 20 Illinois Valley officials in a special meeting in the Spring Valley council chambers.

“I have access to a big amount of money for an old-time trolley on rubber wheels,” Banks said. “I’m trying to get tourism back to our area to help all of us.”

Banks first announced he had something up his sleeve on Aug. 3, when he said he had invited mayors from all over the area to a meeting.

“I’ve asked the state for a big sum of money and it looks like we can get it with this program,” Banks told his aldermen. “It’s something they used to do years ago, and it’s going to help our whole community out.”

Banks said he had discussed the project with local legislators, and was told there were funds available for a trolley project. He said the more communities that participate, the more money will flow into the area.

Banks said the trolley would be run by volunteers from each participating town. The route would be determined by the police chiefs of each town, who would also take into account just any potential traffic problems.

LaSalle Mayor Jeff Grove asked how the project would be funded, and Banks said the state would provide the initial funds based on the number of communities involved. As for the money to continue operating the trolley, a fee would be charged per person. Some of that money would be used for maintenance, and any profits would be divided among the participating communities.

Cherry Mayor Bob McCook asked if the trolley would only be used for tourism, and Banks said it could also be used as a regular transportation route.

Ladd Mayor Mike Grivetti asked about the shopper’s bus in the LaSalle-Peru area, and Grove said the routes could be coordinated.

DePue Mayor Eric Bryant said his village was definitely interested in supporting the trolley project. He said his village was currently in a battle to save its lake, but eventually he saw the lake as a source of big tourism dollars. Having a trolley to bring people to the lake would be good for the village.

Banks thanked the other mayors and officials for attending, and asked them to let him know what their cities and villages decided.

“People don’t realize the money is just sitting there,” he said.

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