There’s something special about every town: places, traditions, and attitudes. These all draw people to a place that they care about and live. Like many small towns, businesses have relocated, and numerous downtown stores remain empty. Unlike other communities though, Mendota has recently had fires that two of the three main street buildings in rubble. With a blank slate left in these spaces, Reimagine Mendota applied for and received a Community Heart & Soul® seed grant program. This grant will support residents to share what they love most about the community, what future they want, and how to achieve it. The information gained will help develop the community’s plans, priorities, and investments.
Dollars received will support community conversations and efforts to revitalize downtown, parks, and other activities identified.
The SRCCF has created a Fiscal Sponsorship for Reimagine Mendota. All funds contributed will be restricted for that purpose. Your donation will be acknowledged by the Foundation with your tax deduction information.
Pavilion To Replace Contaminated Mendota Site
Step off the train in Mendota and facing the platform is an abandoned dry-cleaning business – and the contents of the soil beneath it are uglier. That building finally is coming down, followed by remediation of the contaminated earth. In its place will go a bandstand called the Pavilion on Main, which will beautify downtown and potentially spur downtown growth.
Construction of the pavilion begins late next year or early 2026 depending on the success of the fundraising drive spearheaded by Reimagine Mendota in cooperation with Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.
