Joliet Calls For Special Election: The Reason Might Surprise You

JOLIET — The City of Joliet issued a press release on Wednesday asking residents to participate in a different kind of election this election cycle and to cast their vote by Friday, August 9.

According to Rosemaria DiBenedetto, media engagement and communications director for Joliet, the vote centers around an art sculpture for the newly designed City Square, a new 1.3-acre urban park being constructed across from the Rialto Square Theatre. The plans for the City Square were recently approved by the City Council, and the project is scheduled to begin construction later this summer and be completed by late 2025.

As part of this initiative, residents are invited to participate in selecting a centerpiece sculpture through a unique voting process.

Starting on Monday, July 22, residents can go to www.joliet.gov/cityquare/sculp... to cast a vote on their favorite sculpture design and online voting will end on Friday, August 9.

Residents may also vote in person at the downtown Joliet Public Library at 150 N. Ottawa Street beginning Tuesday, August 6, Wednesday, August 7, and Thursday, August 8 from 3 p.m to 7 p.m.

Enlarged images of the sculpture proposals will be placed at the library for public viewing.

Following the resident voting phase, up to five finalists will be chosen to develop detailed conceptual proposals. These finalists will present their proposals to the Joliet Arts Commission at a special meeting in September. The Arts Commission will then recommend a final sculpture design to the Joliet City Council for approval by late 2024.

The allocated budget for the sculpture project, covering design, fabrication, and installation, is set at a maximum of $200,000. This initiative not only aims to beautify City Square but also encourages community engagement and pride in shaping the city's cultural landscape, according to DiBenedetto's press release.