Normal: Not Fit for Fit EVs?

Honda is introducing the Fit EV this year but only in Oregon and California, which Honda considers "ground zero for electric vehicles". Hello!! Normal is an EV Town!  Even when Honda officially launches the Fit EV in 2013, it will be on the east coast. Hey, what about Normal? We have charging stations and "early adopters" -- you'll "fit" right in (sorry, couldn't resist that)!!

Normal Charging Stations: More at the Store?

Walgreens is putting in charging stations for electric cars, and other stores may be adding them soon. If more stores in Normal add the stations, we might actually get used to seeing (and using) them all around town! I wonder how long it took for people to get used to seeing gas stations around town.

Normal: Walking Neighborhoods Are the Future

This article about the value of having residential neighborhoods with schools, restaurants, convenience stores, and other desired businesses within walking distance is very timely. It's not just rising gas prices that will motivate people to want to be able to walk places, it's also the increase in people working from home, the preference many people now seem to have for making quick trips to purchase nessecities instead of one, extended trip to the store for a week's supply, and the (grudgingly acknowledged) need for exercise.


It would be interesting to take a map of Normal and circle businesses within walking distance (however that's measured) of residential neighborhoods.  I think many residents would like to be able to walk to "neighborhood stores" but they also do not want those stores in their "backyards" (too much traffic, too much light at night, too much loitering). What is the solution to establishing these businesses without upsetting residents? There are vacant buildings that could be transformed into businesses based on what nearby residents want/need. That would be one solution. There is also "undeveloped" land (interpretation: farmland) on the outskirts of some neighborhoods that could be acquired for this purpose.


Maybe in the not too distant future, new subdivision plans will have to include "gray space" (for small businesses) as well as green space.

Normal 2011: What a year!

Shepard Park is on the map!
Masonic Temple leaves a gap.


St. Pat’s Parade big hit Uptown!
“Fool’s Fest” does not get off the ground.


Uptown Station’s looking great!
High speed rail tracks await.

New garbage carts for every home!
Alas, no urban chickens roam.


The Circle occupies first place:
Smart Growth Award, Best Public Space!


Humble town of Normal stars
In ad for little electric cars.

Crutcher and Hill retired -- a pity!
And Fruin left for Iowa City. (Really, Geoff? Iowa??)


2012: Redeveloped Holiday Inn?
And that Uptown One hole may get filled in?

Happy New Year, Normal!

Normal Christmas Wish

Wouldn't life be worth the living

Wouldn't dreams be coming true

If we kept the Christmas spirit

All the whole year through?

           ~Author Unknown

Have a Merry Normal Christmas!

Normal Parking Garage Could Be Greener!

Vancouver is building a greenhouse on top of a "parkade" (which is the Canadian version of a parking garage). The greenhouse will produce "tonnes" of vegetables (Canadians spell funny!).  Ok, Normal, we can top that (pun intended)!  We could have a greenhouse on top of the College Ave. parking garage or on top of the new parking structure connected to the Uptown Station.  Get growing!!

Normal Circle Wins EPA Award!

The Uptown Normal Circle has won the EPA National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in the category "Civic Places."  The Circle is recognized for not just its innovative environmentally-friendly design and traffic-friendly transformation of an intersection, but also for its function as a gathering place for people. As the article points out, there wasn't a city center until the Circle was created. Lately, it's even been used for protesting!  You know it's a real gathering spot when that happens!

Driving around it, enjoying the green space, or gathering for civic/social events -- embrace the Circle!

Normal Uptown Thanksgiving

Hhhmmm, maybe a song says it best...


Said the Pantagraph to the local folk,
Do you see what I see?
In the town of Normal, local folk,
Do you see what I see?
Uptown, Uptown, not to be outdone,
With a Circle that’s ranked Number 1.
With a Circle that’s ranked Number 1.


Said the local folk to the nearby towns,
Do you hear what I hear?
Every day, listen nearby towns,
Do you hear what I hear?
A boom, some clangs, coming down like rain
With a noise as loud as a train.
With a noise as loud as a train.


Said the nearby towns to the Governor,
Do you know what I know?
In your Springfield home, Governor,
Do you know what I know?
Uptown, Uptown, rising like the sun
Come and visit, join in the fun!
Come and visit, join in the fun!


Said the Governor in a press release,
“Listen to what I say!
Come to Normal, people, if you please.
Listen to what I say!
Uptown, Uptown, it’s becoming great
It will bring new life to this state!
It will bring new life to this state!”

Let us give thanks for our community.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Normal: Repurposing Old Buildings

Here's a nice idea for repurposing old buildings: turning old elementary schools into apartments. What a nice alternative to tearing them down or closing and abandoning them! How many local unused buildings are there? Maybe developers need to be more creative in coming up with ideas for using for old buildings in new ways.

Normal Masonic Lodge

As the Normal Masonic Lodge is torn down, it would be interesting to know more about its history. One site describes a box (time capsule) located under the cornerstone. It was placed there when the building was built in 1925 but was opened in 1971, added to, and then replaced. Lodge members hope to find a new home for the box. Seeing old buildings demolished and replaced by new buildings makes me feel like an old-timer, even though I didn't grow up in Normal. Some day, I'll tell people about how I used to park in front of that Lodge when I needed to stop at the Post Office, which used to have a very nice old church next to it. Speaking of old churches, there used to be another one in that area . . .

Normal Circle Wins Top Public Space!

Planetizen has announced the "winners" of their "Top 100 Public Spaces in the U.S. and Canada" campaign.  Normal's Uptown Circle won the top place!  It's interesting that the authors of the article make a point of stating that the findings are not "objective."  If Central Park had won the top spot, would they have made that same point?  Isn't it true that all online surveys/campaigns are not objective? They certainly don't use random sampling.

It's good to have some recognition and appreciation, even if winning the top spot was the result of local "passion" for the Circle. It's our Circle and we like it.

Normal Uptown Station Building Progress

Normal Civic Involvement

It looks like voting for the "Top 100 Public Spaces in the U.S." has closed. The Circle in Uptown had a commanding lead the last time I checked, so it should come out on top. That's great! Of course, it's just one of those internet popularity contests but it does show that there is a lot of enthusiastic support from area residents. Showing support for your community is great, but what about actual civic involvement?

What does it take for you to do something for your community? Does it take a disaster like hurricane Katrina or the Joplin tornado? Do local elections motivate you to participate in discussions of issues? Or are you more proactive in your civic involvement: initiating neighborhood projects, volunteering to serve on local commissions, joining clean-up efforts, etc.?

From a quick internet search, it looks like there was a National Civic Engagement Week in 2003. Maybe that needs to be revived. It would be nice to encourage everyone to get involved in their community any time, instead of just encouraging people to vote when it's election time (which is also important). Everyone, get involved for Normal! Or should it be Normall?

Normal: Vote for the Circle!

There is a campaign for the "Top 100 Public Spaces in the U.S." and someone has written a very nice nomination for the Uptown Normal (Traffic) Circle.  It's actually in the "Hot 90" nominations at this point!

All you need to do to vote is register (email address and password), respond to the verification email that you will receive right after registering, and vote by giving "The Circle: Uptown Normal, Illinois" your chips.

It's a great way to share this wonderful space with the world! Please vote by October 20 15!

Update (10/11): The Circle moved up to first and now, second in the list. The voting goes until Oct. 15, so please encourage everyone to vote!

Normal Subdivision Farming

Now, you can have your vinyl-sided house, three-car garage, deck, and your own home-grown produce without messing up your manicured lawn!

Some subdivisions are being built around farms or are including a community green space for farming/gardening.  This is an idea worth considering!  Forget the space for kids to play or for people to walk their dogs. Now, we want space to grow our own produce! (I guess kids could play there in the winter.  Or it could be used for a community snow sculpture display, perhaps.)

If there are vacant lots in newer subdivisions, maybe developers would be open to this idea (if only for short-term use). A community garden/farm area might fit the green space requirement for subdivision development. Start digging! 

Normal: New Urbanism Needed

This is an article about how to keep developing urban areas without losing valuable farmland or conservation areas.  The "new urbanism," as I understand it, proposes densely populated areas that combine residences with schools, stores, and other amenities in areas that are not favorable for farming or conservation. Keeping everything close together is supposed to encourage residents to walk or bike to their destinations. And the areas are near small, family farms, which could provide locally grown foods to the residents. It's a win-win-win situation for residents, farmers, and the environment! 

It sounds ideal but is probably a zoning nightmare. And you would have to have all of the developers, businesses, and local school districts on-board before ground could be broken. That's no small accomplishment!  But it does give us something to consider if we want to preserve the nearby farms while still allowing Normal to grow.

Normal's Walkscore

According to the Walkscore website, Normal has a score of 48. That's only slightly better than the largest cities in Illinois, which have an average score of 46. A score of 48 is considered "car-dependent" (although it is close to the next category, "somewhat walkable").  The score is calculated using an algorithm that gives points for amenities within one mile (I guess that's how far they think someone is willing to walk to an amenity). So I guess the only way to improve the score is to build more amenities. Aren't we supposed to be encouraging people to walk more by making streets more pedestrian-friendly?

Normal Coops? (No, not for chickens!)

This is an article about local cooperatives (coops) designed to provide goods and services to local businesses, thus reducing the impact on the environment that comes from transportation across long distances.  One example in the article is a Cleveland coop formed to provide laundry services to area hospitals.

Normal cooperatives would be successful if they provided goods and services that local businesses need.  One way to determine these needs is to find out what goods and services local businesses are currently purchasing from non-local providers. Then, the people who are interested in starting a particular coop would find out how to get started by researching other coops (Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperatives, for example).

Depending on the resources needed, forming cooperatives might also help unemployed people start a new career.

Normal: Local Farmers Market Glut?

Farmers markets have been increasing across the country, resulting in fewer profits for the sellers in some locations.  I don't know if anyone keeps track of how well sellers are doing at the local farmers markets. It seems that with at least three markets -- downtown Bloomington on Saturdays, Uptown Normal on Tuesdays, and College Ave. on Saturdays -- we don't yet have too many markets. The local demand for fresh produce has probably kept up with if not outpaced the local farmers markets, which should keep the growers happy. In my opinion, if people are willing to go to those markets in some of the extreme weather conditions that we have around here, there must be a strong commitment to buying locally!

Normal Corn

It's not as high as an elephant's eye, but I think the corn in Normal is looking pretty good!