Elgin launches arts website, plans for one Amazin’ Race

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Updated: November 25, 2011 12:22AM

ELGIN — If you’re looking for a cultural experience in Elgin, the city now offers an online calendar to help you decide what to see before leaving your home.

Cherie Murphy, the city manager’s assistant for community engagement, unveiled the site — www.elginartscentral.com — at last week’s council meeting.

The website actually contains a triumvirate of calendars. One lists the Hemmens Cultural Center’s season of shows. Another marks the plays and art exhibits at the Elgin Art Showcase downtown. The third holds festivals and events put on by the city’s special events department.

The site is not to be confused with the city’s www.elginarts.com, which currently holds writings submitted to the Pop Up Poetry Project. In April, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission took in submissions of 10-line poems having the theme “Icons of Elgin.” The most recent opus up and running — posted June 15 — is called “Fire Barn No. 5,” by Zach Donisch.

While the calendar lists city-sponsored offerings, it is not a one-stop show for all things to do in Elgin. In a press release, Murphy reminds the public that Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin Community College, the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau also hold their own events, which are not included on the new city website.

The project is part of a concerted effort by the city to put more user-friendly information about Elgin on the Internet.

The Elgin Parks and Recreation Department recently launched the Discover Elgin Parks website, www.elginparks.org. One feature has the city’s 69 park locations marked by dots on a map. By scrolling over a specific dot and mouse-clicking on it, an information cell appears, telling a bit about the attraction.

Viewers also can plot directions to an Elgin park. There are filters to help search for a parks by type of recreational activity being sought. The locator also offers online access to area bike trails. Being tested is a feature allowing someone to find which of the parks is closest to a particular address.

All the sites can be accessed through the city’s main site, www.cityofelgin.org.

Amazin’ Race event

In other parks and rec news, the department is taking registration for its 2011 edition of Elgin’s Amazin’ Race.

Based on the popular TV game show in which teams compete in a globe-trotting scavenger hunt, the Elgin version is set for Saturday, Aug. 13, and stays local.

Teams will start the race at the Elgin Public House downtown, immediately following a 9:30 a.m. captain’s meeting.

Set downtown, each stop will offer a clue needed to get teams to the next stop. Detours, roadblocks, yields and “fast-forwards” are part of the challenge of the timed event.

Teams may have four to eight members. Cost to participate is $149 per team. The registration deadline for this event is Aug. 8.

Proceeds from the race benefit the Elgin Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund, which provides recreation program scholarships to needy Elgin families. More information about the event is on www.cityofelgin.org by or calling Amy Knorek at 847-531-7013.

Knorek said 10 teams and more than 40 people took part in the event in 2010.