The village of Mundelein, in partnership with the Mundelein/Vernon Hills Rotary Club, recently completed a beautification project on an overpass at Route 45 near Hickory Street with the help of a $25,000 grant.
With the upgrades, the sight is now also home to several types of plant life.
While the project in total cost about $79,000, part of the costs were covered by a $25,000 grant from Canadian National Railroad and nonprofit America in Bloom . AIB “promotes … beautification through education and community involvement by encouraging the use of flowers, plants, trees
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” and other natural elements, according the organization’s website.The upgrades include a few newly planted maple trees, and several types of new plants , including oak, ginkgo, hydrangea, coneflower, weigela, daylily and other perennials, according to a village news release about the beautification project. A new sign thanking both the Rotary Club and AIB has also been installed.
Mundelein officials said in the release that the village was awarded the grant due to the project’s community impact and engagement, as well as sustainability, technical assurances and other program criteria. Mayor Steve Lentz said in the release that community beautification and environmental sustainability had been named among five top priorities for the village earlier this year. Lentz said a desire to upgrade the Route 45 corridor aesthetics has been a concern for residents.
“We are pleased to meet this goal,” Lentz said in the release. “The newly landscaped areas look beautiful and this accomplishment is a significant enhancement to the main highway through our community.”
Officials said the change is just part of the village’s broader efforts to help promote sustainability in town. In the release, Lentz announced an intention to soon appoint a sustainability committee that will pursue green projects. Officials with the village said they expect the committee to be appointed in January and will be looking for candidates starting in November .
Speaking on the benefits of the overpass beautification, Margaret Resnick, the Rotary Club representative for the project, said they’re both a psychological benefit to those who travel through or live in the area, and help the environment and promotes sustainability.