Village, Township Agree To Create Heritage Park Pedestrian Path

HOMER GLEN, IL — The Village of Homer Glen and Homer Township will work together to create a pedestrian path connecting Heritage Park to the Homer Township sports complex and Town Center Park.

At its Wednesday meeting, the Village Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the township about the creation of the path.

"That path is a wonderful symbol of our new relationship with the township," Trustee Ruben Pazmino said.

Trustee Beth Rodgers said it's also a testament to Mike DeVivo, former Homer Township Road Commissioner, who died earlier this month.

"He put a lot of work into it," Rodgers said, adding that maybe the path could be memorialized in his name.

Trustee Dan Fialko said the cooperation between the village and township like this is "unheard of."

Mayor George Yukich, Trustee Beth Rodgers, Township Supervisor Stephen Balich and Township Road District Commissioner Brent Porfilio met May 17 to discuss the path, according to board documents. The Village will construct the path, and Porfilio will inspect it.

The estimated cost of the path is between $2,000 and $3,000. With timing concerns of HomerFest, the path will not be paved yet.

"This will be great for the village, and for the township," Yukich said.

Reached via email, Balich said this was something good for the community "that just could not get over the hump to get done." He said one side was holding this up; and that the people just elected to the township and village "are tired of government projects being stalled when they are needed."

"It's time to end doing what is best for government and to begin doing what is best for the people we all represent. This is the start of many great things," he said.