Celebrating 175 Years As Batavia!

Where We Are...

A city of traditions

The well-deserved nickname “City of Energy” is appropriate for Batavia on several levels. For sure, it can be said that Batavia earned this nickname because of the windmill industry. And it is also the home of Fermilab. But more than that, the residents, municipal groups, city leaders and businesses unite in a kind of cooperative “energy” that makes Batavia glow with community pride.

With over 25,000 residents, Batavia is home to an excellent school district, distinctive library, award-winning park district, proactive city government, respected Chamber of Commerce and a dedicated MainStreet program. These municipal groups work together with mutual cooperation rarely found in communities today.

Despite the challenging economic times, Batavia continues to thrive. Today, the town is home to Fermilab, which attracts scientists from around the world looking to improve standards of living for all.

Batavia is also a city of traditions. Throughout the year, residents and visitors have the opportunity to participate in several festivals and events. Some examples are the Windmill City Festival in mid-July, Art in Your Eye arts festival in August, the annual 4th of July Fireworks show and the Celebration of Lights Festival in November. On any given day, the library is full of kids participating in reading programs, adults discussing their favorite books or a community group gathering for a meeting. Downtown Batavia celebrated the completion of the Wilson Street bridge construction in 2008, making it even easier for residents and visitors to travel through Batavia.

Where We Are Going...

Batavia maps out the future

While Batavia celebrates its 175th anniversary this year, the community continues to plan for the next 175 years. With a history of progress, philanthropy, preservation and prosperity, these themes continue as the city maps out the future.

The Donovan Bridge construction was a major focus for 2007 and 2008 for every aspect of the community – from downtown businesses and residents to school bus route changes and even city employees. Now that the major construction is complete, it’s time for some finishing touches. The Fox River has made completion of these projects quite a challenge according to Bill McGrath, city manager of the City of Batavia. With record high water levels, some projects have taken longer than anticipated. When the work is complete with public art and walkways, it will not just be a bridge, but a symbol for connecting the downtown area.

McGrath says that residents and visitors in Batavia can look for even more changes to the downtown area in the years to come, including upgrading the infrastructure and streetscapes. “We want to do what we can do to make it an attractive environment for businesses and new buildings,” says McGrath.

In the next two to three years, McGrath anticipates at least three new buildings, including housing and multiuse buildings. “There’s going to be a lot happening downtown,” he says.

In addition to downtown, the City will be looking at ways to fortify the Randall Road Corridor. Like other cities of its size, Batavia is seeing the changing face of commercial businesses.

In addition to changes in business, housing is another area of concentration for the city’s efforts. The City wants to ensure that the housing options remain diverse, which has always been a strong point of Batavia. He notes that there are pockets of land and buildings in the downtown area that may be rehabbed or redeveloped in the near future.

While the state of the economy may have cities and businesses on edge, McGrath says the City of Batavia is using this time to focus on efficiency. He says that they are looking at all projects, and that they are evaluating the projects to see how they can be more efficient with time and resources without sacrificing quality.

The City of Batavia and the residents are also at the forefront of “being green” in today’s environment. With an active environmental commission, leadership and several environmental groups, McGrath sees this trend continuing for many years to come. Ten years from now, McGrath hopes that Batavia will continue to have a wide range of housing options. He especially hopes that the economical and diverse options will be available for the senior citizen population, younger professionals and families choosing to make Batavia home.

Batavia is also fortunate to be a community that is supportive of the arts. “It’s my hope that Batavia’s reputation as a place for self-expression continues with the thriving art community and support for public art,” said McGrath.

Batavia continues to be a true community with a history of generosity. Despite challenging economic times and busy schedules, Batavians still find the time to help a neighbor or donate time to an organization. McGrath says he hopes everyone continues to take the time to share their gifts.