The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway this week announced the latest round of the Byway Project Funds program to provide financial assistance to byway members.
Byway Project Funds are meant to support events, marketing and advertising efforts, and projects that help preserve the heritage of Illinois Route 66 and promote travel to Illinois Route 66 communities and sites. Byway Project Funds cannot be used for general operating or construction expenses. Byway Project Funds range from $500 to $1,000, and up to 10 members may receive the funds.
The byway stated in a news release that one of the projects is not ready to be announced to the public and will be revealed later.
Here are the six Byway Project Fund recipients:
— Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor, $1,000 for marketing. The funds will be used for rack cards that could be distributed throughout the year at various locations around the state for the 16th annual festival this year. A total of 20,000 rack cards will be produced and distributed to various visitor centers, destination marketing organizations and tourism information centers. The byway will design the rack card to have a general description of the festival that will stay relevant enough so it can be distributed year after year, as opposed to its annual brochure that is festival-specific and is out of date once the festival has ended.
— Best Western Plus Bloomington East Hotel. $1,000 for beautification. Funds will enhance the landscape at the hotel’s entrance and install more EV stations to provide more services to travelers.
— Springfield Lucky Horseshoes / Robin Roberts Stadium, $1,000 for beautification. Robin Roberts Stadium, formerly known as Reservoir Park and Lanphier, has been the home of baseball in Springfield
since 1925. The stadium has hosted many franchises: Senators, Red Birds, Cardinals, Capitals and most recently, the Lucky Horseshoes. The stadium seats over 5,000 people. Funds will go towards the beautification of the newly created beer garden within the stadium area.
— Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, $1,000 for marketing. Funds will be used to design, produce and distribute 35,000 rack cards to Illinois convention and visitor bureaus, tourism information centers and destination marketing organizations. The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 in Joliet, a nonprofit organization, is committed to preserving the rich history and contributions of musicians, performers and industry leaders in Illinois who have impacted the music world. The museum also will offer scholarships and donations.
— Atlanta Public Library District: Palms Grill Cafe, $1,000 for awning restoration. The Atlanta Public Library owns the Downey Building that houses the Palms Grill Cafe, the Atlanta Museum and the Route 66 Arcade Museum. The restaurant, which opened in 1934, now operating under a new tenant with a bakery, Missy’s Sweet Shoppe. With new awnings, it is hoped a refreshed but nostalgic appearance to the Palms Grill Cafe again will draw travelers.
— City of Atlanta Tourism, $1,000 for mural restoration. The centerpiece of Atlanta’s Route 66 Park is a 20-foot-long mural on a massive wooden frame. The mural, now 20 years old, has faded due to the sun and its location in the park. The grant will be used to create a new mural. Illinois State University’s Design Streak Studio designed new graphics for the city’s tourism bureau last fall. It will replace the current faded and outdated mural with a wrap that lasts 10 years and is UV-coated to prevent sun damage.
(Image of the Palms Grill Cafe building in Atlanta, Illinois, courtesy of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway)