Will County Gazette

The City of Joliet is set to bring the Dome of Unity public art proposal before the City Council for a final vote at its upcoming meeting. The project, which had been postponed at the previous council session, was delayed at the request of Community Development Director Dustin Anderson to allow for additional discussion, a staff presentation, and input from the Joliet Arts Commission.

The Dome of Unity is planned as a prominent landmark for City Square. According to Mayor Terry D’Arcy, “Public art stimulates economies, boosts tourism, and encourages people to spend time downtown which supports our small businesses and revitalization efforts. There is strong community interest in moving this project forward and by bringing it back, we can openly discuss its benefits and give residents a chance to be heard.”

Councilwoman Suzanna Ibarra voiced her support for the opportunity to revisit the proposal. “I’m so glad we have the opportunity to discuss this so our residents will appreciate the significance of this artwork,” she said.

Finance Chair Pat Mudron emphasized that cultural investments do not detract from essential city services. “Infrastructure investments like roads, public safety, and water will always remain top priorities. But cultural investments like this don’t compete with those priorities, they complement them,” Mudron stated.

Joliet is located in Will and Kendall counties in Illinois, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. It serves as the county seat of Will County and had a population of 150,362 according to the 2020 census. More information about Joliet can be found on its official website: https://www.joliet.gov.

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