It was all about turning shovels and making history at Lanphier High on Thursday as students, teachers, and District 186 officials broke ground on major renovations coming to campus—all funded by a voter-approved 1% hike in the county sales tax.
“This is a day for everybody to celebrate,” said Micah Miller, District 186 Board Member. “This isn’t about anything I did. This was all the Board before me, the Superintendent, all the architects, and most importantly everybody who voted for that sales tax, [without which] none of this would happen. That was absolutely crucial for this to occur.”
Mayor Langfelder, who has northside roots, and State Senator Doris Turner (D-IL 48), herself a LHS alum, were among the dignitaries who, together with students, hoisted gold shovels to make the groundbreaking official.
“You know, it is true,” Turner said. “I am a proud north-ender. Often times, the north end gets a lot of knocks. But we’re resilient. We get knocked down and we get right back up. And I really think that with this renovation it’s going to do a lot for the pride of the students who come in this building, but it’s also going to be a point of pride for the whole north-end community.”
And it does seem much of the area is getting a makeover. Just blocks away, the former Pillsbury plant is soon to be cleaned up and repurposed thanks to the efforts of a non-profit, Moving Pillsbury Forward.
Concerning the school, a new sports facility and first-ever Lanphier auditorium will be part of the works when the dust finally settles.
Miller was one of two district 186 board members present for the ceremony. Prior to the event, WTAX had raised concerns over the district’s adherence to open meeting requirements.