North
RIVERSIDER
COMMUNICATION IS THE KEy TO OUR COMMUNITy’S FORWARD PROGRESS GROWTH WITH PRIDE SUMMER-FALL 2024
INVESTING COLLABORATING AND GROWING Now is the time to take pride in a thriving North Riverside
New and stronger partnerships with county, state and federal leaders have propelled North Riverside forward and turned valued projects and plans into reality. On July 15, the Mayor and Board of Trustees, alongside project partners from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), unveiled an improved municipal campus full of green amenities aimed to protect our environment and mitigate local flooding. The completion of this project marks North Riverside’s first green infrastructure project on record and one of the largest partnership projects to date for the MWRD. The MWRD contributed $1.28 million toward this landmark $1.53 million green infrastructure project. Six asphalt parking lots located at the Village Commons and police, fire and public works departments (pictured top right), totaling 71,000 square feet of non-permeable pavement, were converted into new green parking lots designed to capture and store up to 539,000 gallons of water during any rain event. Green infrastructure manages stormwater by mimicking nature. It captures and stores water naturally where it falls and allows stormwater to infiltrate into the ground before entering the sewer system. This reduces the amount of water flowing through sewer systems that are often overwhelmed during intense rain events. Green infrastructure can be an effective way to manage and reduce stormwater runoff and improve the
water quality of area rivers and streams. “The Board of Trustees and I are proud to unveil these new permeable paver parking lots as we are committed to investing in North Riverside and finding natural solutions to address local flooding, residential backups and other environmental issues,” said Mayor Joseph Mengoni. “The installation of these new lots will not only naturally divert stormwater from the Village’s combined sewer system, but it will also recharge our groundwater and safeguard our rivers and natural water resources from pollutants during large rain events.” “We congratulate and thank North Riverside on this remarkable investment toward green infrastructure and community resilience,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “Because of this expansive coverage of six green parking lots, we will have better protection from future storms, attractive community spaces and cleaner water in the Des Plaines River and beyond.” State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid also commended the Village and MWRD for their leadership and vision. “Tackling climate change by building resilient infrastructure begins in our communities and neighborhoods. I am committed to working with local officials and stakeholders in the region to continue making progress towards a more sustainable future.” Joining Rep. Rashid, MWRD officials, Mayor Mengoni and Village Board of Trustees was 16th District Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.