Strongest Town 2023, Round 2: Flossmoor, IL vs. Saranac Lake, NY
Welcome to the second round match-up in the eighth annual Strongest Town Contest! In this round, eight towns are facing off, and four will advance to the next segment of the contest based on your votes. We invite you to review photos and captions representatives from these communities provided to demonstrate the strength and resilience of their town or city—then vote for the strongest candidate!
Can’t decide? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out how we describe the Strong Towns approach.
You may vote once per match-up. Round 2 voting closes at noon CT on Thursday, March 30. For rules, and to follow along with the contest, visit the Strongest Town Contest page.
Note: All entries are lightly edited for clarity and readability.
VOTING FOR THIS ROUND IS NOW CLOSED. RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY, MARCH 31.
SARANAC LAKE, NY
Entry submitted by: Charli Lomino III, Jamie Konkoski, Jeremy Evans.
Saranac Lake is a historic and compact village of 5,000 residents in the heart of the Adirondack Park.
Downtown Saranac Lake has an iconic town hall surrounded by multi-story, mixed-use structures.
There are multiple parks within the village very close to downtown which host events year-round. During COVID, they served as safe outdoor spaces for entertainment and dining, and they continue to play a pivotal role in Saranac Lake culture.
The Adirondack Rail Trail provides safe passage for cyclists and pedestrians through the center of and outside of the village. This photo is of a connector path built to connect the center of town to a commercial area at the edge of town. The gravel path will be paved within the village boundaries by September 2023.
Here, a group of volunteers are painting a “Saranac 6er” logo into the middle of a large intersection in the center of downtown. Saranac 6ers are people who have hiked to the top of 6 local mountains. This intersection is now being redesigned to permanently reclaim space from the roadway for pedestrians.
FLOSSMOOR, IL
Entry submitted by: Tom Dobrez, Stephanie Wright, Michelle Nelson.
Flossmoor’s Berry Lane Drainage Improvement Project won the Project of the Year from the Southwest Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA)! The permeable pavers beatify the drive while working to improve flooding. They also make for a safer pedestrian environment, as drivers slow down while driving.
In 2022 we celebrated Zip Code Day! Flossmoor's zip code is 60422. So on June 4, 2022, we threw a village festival. We highlighted the town's local retailer base with a Shop The 60422. We had the restaurants featured with a Taste The 60422. Our little league ran a Home Run Derby contest and local performers entertained. We had former residents show up, as well as current, and hopeful future residents.
The Hidden Gem Half Marathon is run by a nonprofit with 100% volunteers. It runs through our entire town: 13.1 miles, total. Residents decorate their neighborhoods as each one takes on a theme (Wizard of Oz, Holidays, Rainbows, etc.). In 2022, over 1,000 runners from 23 states participated. It was chosen as the Race Of The Year by the Chicago Area Runners Associations (CARA).
Martin Luther King Day of Service engages scores of citizens, young and old, in a variety of projects of service on MLK Day—such as high school students reading to youth. MLK Day of Service is a proud Flossmoor tradition. In 2023, there were 23 various service projects and over 500 volunteers.
Plant the Gem happened thanks to a grant awarded to Flossmoor by The Chicagoland Regional Tree Initiative and the Morton Arboretum, allowing us to plant trees along the 13.1-mile marathon route. This was the most extensive single-day planting done solely by volunteers in Illinois. 300 trees were planted on October 12 by over 100 citizens of Flossmoor.