Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.” ― Jane Austen 
 
 
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” ― Winston Churchill 
 
 
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh 
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)
 
Rotary Leadership Institute is scheduled for August 18.   See the District newsletter for more information.
 
More volunteers are needed to staff our booth at the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival on August 25.   Contact Darrell if you can help.
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Bob introduced Bruce Knight, Champaign West Rotarian and Planning and Development Director for the City of Champaign.  Bruce discussed current and projected plans for the Planning and Development Department.
 
The Curtis Road Interchange Plan was adopted in 2007 after the State of IL determined that the I-74/Prospect Ave. Interchange area was overdeveloped..  Development around Curtis Rd. was slowed by the recession of 2008.   Carle at the Fields has now developed the NW Quadrant.
 
The Boneyard Creek once ran where Green Street is today.  The City has done extensive work to take Campus Town out of the floodplain.  They have taken Green St. from four to two lanes to make room for bike lanes.   “The future of transportation is that you are going to have to share the road.” said Knight.   This has led to major redevelopment of the area.   Today’s students want the feel of urban living.  The City has subsequently dropped the minimum parking requirements for Campus Town high rises.   
 
In the Mid-Town area, the grocery built where Burnham used to stand is a very busy store with a diverse patronage. The City helped pay for the Mid-Town Plaza development which overlooks the Boneyard Basin.   It is fully leased.
 
The City removed the downtown pedestrian mall in 1986 and offered TIF funding and liquor licenses to encourage investment.   The 217 S. Neil project was the first building that required no financial incentive from the City.   
 
Plans are underway to develop the area south of the Illinois Terminal.  This $200 million project will include a hotel conference center, offices, and parking deck.
 
The City is currently studying the possibility of redeveloping the North Neil St. corridor from the Interstate to downtown.   This may lead to a downtown plaza.   The design process for this project is almost complete.  The next step will be corporate fundraising for the project.
 

 

  Aug 9th Aug 16th Aug 23rd Aug 30th
Introductions Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau Ethan Chew
Reflection Charlie Smith Mary Kay Smith Adam Wright Oktay Baran
Greeters Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau Ethan Chew
Andrew Kerins Bob La Charite Candy Loyd Ben Mast
Song Leader Mary Hodson Darrell Hoemann Andrew Kerins Bob La Charite
Notetaker Conforti Perry Penwell Hodson
Decker Weeding   Perry Loyd  
Next Weekend        
Decker Garden Perry Perry Simpson Simpson
Watering        

 

 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit
August 16th – Jerri Kirshner, CU Symphony (Charlie) 
August 23rd – Ondine Gross, mediator and consultant who participated in the Conflict Management Training provided by a Global Grant (Mary)
August 30th – No regular meeting
September 6th – Emily Reichman, Hope Lives Rescue Ranch (David)
September 13th – Lola Lewis, Donation Liaison, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Phyllis)
September 20th – Deb Feinen, Mayor, City of Champaign (Tom)
September 27th – TBD (Bob)
October 4th – TBD (David)
October 11th – TBD 
October 18th – Kate Williams, Associate Professor, UIUC, and Abdul Alkalima, Professor Emeritus, African American Studies, UIUC, will discuss New Philadelphia, the early settlement in western Illinois  (Ed)
October 25th – Chris Gleason, Executive Director, Rosecrance Central Illinois, will speak about the heroin/opioid crisis in central Illinois (Phyllis)
November 1st – TBD (Tom)
November 8th – TBD (Bob)
November 15th – TBD (Charlie)
November 22nd – No Meeting – Thanksgiving
November 29th – TBD (David)