Residents could ride to village attractions in style–and for free–this summer if the Village Board decides to buy a trolley.
“It seems like a fun thing, and it could provide safe transportation for kids,” Trustee Marianne Tralewski said after a tour of the trolley Tuesday night. “We just have to see if we can afford it.”
Cost would be between $50,000 and $70,000 to buy a used trolley and refurbish it, said Stan Urban, special events director. A new vehicle would cost about $200,000, he added. A 35-to 55-seat vehicle would use a gasoline engine.
Urban said he got the idea to buy and run a trolley at last month’s Walkathon fundraiser, during which School District 2 pupils were bused to Redmond Park to help raise funds for an outdoor science lab.
“Bensenville has so much to offer its residents, especially the kids, but they can’t take advantage of it because it’s geographically spread out,” he said. “Mom and dad work all day during the summer, so the kids have no safe way to get to the theater, the park, the pool or the library. It’s a real waste.”
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Urban proposed establishing a regular route for the trolley that would start at the Bensenville Metra station with stops at every publicly owned recreation facility.
People could either ride the trolley for free or could earn ride coupons by shopping at local stores. The village could apply for grants, sell advertising space or request donations from area businesses to defray the purchase price and operating expenses, he said.
The Village Board is slated to discuss the idea June 12.