Lockport Wins 'Strongest Towns' Contest

LOCKPORT, IL — Lockport has come out on top in the Strong Town's "Strongest Towns" competition, according to a release from the nonprofit. More than 33,000 votes were cast during this year's contest.

Lockport defeated Bellingham, Washington; Middleton, Wisconsin; and Bismarck, North Dakota to reach the final round of competition, according to the nonprofit. In the final round, Lockport won 54 percent of the vote, while Oxford, Mississippi won 46 percent.

The team that nominated Lockport to compete in this year's competition included Ben Benson, Bren Cann, Brittni Calderon, Lisa Heglund, Mayor Steve Streit and Lance Thies, the nonprofit said. The team answered questions on a variety of topics, from housing and transportation, to economic development and how the town has addressed the challenges of the pandemic. They also submitted a photo essay of some of the things that make their town great, sat down for a podcast interview with Strong Towns program director Rachel Quednau, and participated in a webcast with Strong Towns president Charles Marohn.

Strong Towns founder and president Marohn will pay Lockport a visit in the next few months to celebrate the town's victory with a Strong Towns event, the nonprofit said.

Strong Towns is a nonprofit which "advocates for a model of development that allows our cities, towns and neighborhoods to grow financially strong and resilient."

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