WHO IS WATCHING OVER OUR RIVERFRONT?

On November 7, Mayor Vitek opened the city council meeting by recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and making special mention of the Ekwabet statue which is on the edge of the Fox River near the old police station. The statue was sited and dedicated in May 1988, and on June 24, 1989 was designated “Ekwabet” in a naming ceremony. Ekwabet has stood sentry over our riverfront since that date. “Ekwabet” means “watching over,” which is precisely what this proud Potawatomi Indian does every day.

Ironically, Ekwabet stands adjacent to the old police station, the site which Curt Hurst and Frontier Development intend to pave over and erect a massive traffic-clogged hotel/apartment/business complex. There cannot be a greater contrast between the two. Ekwabet projects pride, dignity, love of the Fox River, and a serene strength. It is a testament to the character of our residents, a symbol of what makes St. Charles the Pride of the Fox. Conversely, the proposed Frontier Development project is loud, ostentatious, obtrusive, and shows no respect to the riverfront or surrounding community. It is not what we want to become. It would be such an unforgivable shame to disgrace this riverfront site with Frontier Development’s chimera.

Here is an overhead view of Frontier’s proposal. See that tiny black dot at the bottom? That is Ekwabet, surrounded by concrete and dwarfed and overshadowed by a 62 foot tall building which walls off and overpowers the river.

Unfortunately, Mayor Vitek is not watching over our riverfront, since she has made it clear she will not remove Frontier Development’s oversized proposal from further consideration. She wants to keep it in play. Yet every day more and more residents voice their clear opposition to the Frontier Development proposal and demand that the mayor reject it. She should start listening. It is up to us, the residents and voters in St. Charles, to continue to make clear to Mayor Vitek that WE DO NOT WANT THE FRONTIER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON OUR RIVERFRONT. Be a leader Mayor Vitek and reject that proposal.

PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAILS VOICING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE FRONTIER DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL TO tconti@stcharlesil.gov, with the subject line “PLEASE SHARE WITH CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.” For more information, visit www.savestcriverfront.com.