Award Winning Community

Rock Island leads the way when it comes to the arts, cultural festivals, quality of life, downtown revitalization, and historic preservation. 

Environmental Hero Award

State of Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn celebrated Earth Week in Rock Island. He saluted the City of Rock Island for its forward-looking green initiatives and presented the City with a 2008 Environmental Hero Award. Awards are made to recognize the commitment to providing and maintaining a healthful environment for current and future generations in Illinois. For more information on Rock Island's green efforts click here.

Rock Island and Davenport are Most Livable Cities

Mayors Mark Schwiebert, Rock Island and Ed Winborn, Davenport have been awarded First Place honors in the 2007 City Livability Awards Program, sponsored by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Waste Management. For the past 28 years, cities have competed for this very prestigious award, which recognizes mayoral leadership for developing and implementing programs that improve the quality of life in America's cities. 

Tom Cochran, Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors said: "Our City Livability Awards Program gives the Conference a chance to highlight mayoral leadership in making urban areas safer, cleaner and more livable.  It is also an opportunity to showcase the creativity and commitment of mayors and city governments across the country."

The City Livability Award was given for Davenport and Rock Island’s RiverVision Plan, a far-reaching and broadly participatory waterfront development plan. Seldom, if ever, have two cities in two states planned and implemented a bi-coastal water’s edge riverfront and brownfield reclamation project.  While both Davenport and Rock Island continue to have success in revitalizing their downtown areas, before this plan neither had taken full advantage of the area’s greatest asset - the Mississippi River.

The RiverVision project area is on the Mississippi River, one of the largest and most significant rivers in the world.  The 61-page plan synthesizes the best ideas from nearly a thousand contributors emphasizing five strategic goals.

The RiverVision initiative is noteworthy in many ways. That two neighboring cities through open processes are working together on a revitalization and economic development program – rather than competing with each other – is quite rare. That the cooperation crosses what is increasingly viewed as an artificial state line is extraordinary. That the plan, which received unanimous support from both cities, along with unanimous support from groups as diverse as the local chambers of commerce and conservationists, integrates two fundamentally different approaches to floodplain management and urban design is unprecedented.

Seven Wonders of Illinois

Black Hawk State Historic Site was voted one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. After thousands of votes were cast, this historic site emerged as a winner. The site features a tree-lined park with walking paths along the scenic Rock River, and pays homage to the Sauk and Mesquakie (Fox) Native American tribes who occupied the area as far back as 12,000 years ago. For more information click here.

Radish Award

The City of Rock Island received a 2008 Radish Award from Radish Magazine, one of ten given in the Quad Cities. Radish magazine stated, “to reflect the mission of our magazine, each recipient had to be involved in an activity which in some way had a positive impact on local foods or agriculture, the environment or our sense of responsibility toward our fellow humans.”

Radish Magazine stated, “Mayor Mark Schwiebert has led city staff and employees in a series of ongoing initiatives that embody environmental stewardship and leadership. These efforts include signing the Kyoto Protocol, buying a hydropower plant and establishing a 'Green Team.'”

The City of Rock Island recognizes responsible environmental stewardship as part of its mission in serving the citizens of this community. The City is actively moving forward with innovative energy solutions that will create a healthier city that is safer and more secure. Mayor Schwiebert said, “Rock Island’s 'Green Team' is an innovative municipal effort to bring all City departments together to figure out ways we can operate in a more efficient and environmentally responsible manner. We hope, through this team, to not only “think green” in our City operations, but to provide examples and practices for private businesses and individuals to follow in having a more favorable impact on our environment. We also see this team as affording an opportunity for saving taxpayer dollars through reduced utility charges, and for exploring new opportunities for economic growth.”

For find out more on the City’s Green Initiatives click here.

Savvy Award

Rock Island won a Savvy Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions for marketing communities from 3CMA (City-County Marketing & Communications Association). The Rock Solid, Rock Island branding strategy won the 2006 Savvy Award in the branding / new logo category for cities with a population up to 463,000. There were thirteen entrants, and Rock Island beat Miami Beach, FL and Reno, NV to win the top award.

Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award

Sala Flats was one of nine projects to receive the 2006 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Outstanding Rehabilitation. Landmarks Illinois has been assisted by a generous grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation to honor individuals and organizations whose works demonstrate a commitment to excellence to in historic preservation. By honoring these individuals, organizations, projects and programs, Landmarks Illinois and the Driehaus Foundation hope to inspire others to take action to preserve, protect, and promote historic resources.

Cool City

All over America, communities are taking action to help solve global warming. Local governments are moving forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming, save taxpayer dollars, and create healthier cities. So what is a Cool City? These are cities that have made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the  U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaign helps cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions. For more information visit www.coolcities.us

Presidents' Arts Friendly Community Award

The City of Rock Island has received the 2005 Presidents’ Arts Friendly Community Award from the Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation and Illinois Municipal League. Rock Island was selected as a model for how mayors and other municipal leaders can work with artists, arts organizations, and volunteers to improve quality of life for residents. The city was nominated by Quad City Arts for implementing, maintaining and growing The Downtown Rock Island Arts and Entertainment District.

Urban Innovation in Illinois Award

Environmental Hero Award

The City of Rock Island received a 2005 Environmental Hero Award from the State of Illinois Lieutenant Governor for a new rain garden program.  Thirteen citizens, cities, and groups were recognized from their commitment to providing and maintaining a healthful environment for this and future generations of Illinois.  The City of Rock Island unveiled Rain Gardens for Rock Island to encourage local property owners to develop rain gardens for at least five years.  Dozens of new rain gardens have been planted to prevent flooding and improve water quality.  For more information on this program click here.

Preserve America Award

Rock Island was honored when Mrs. Laura Bush designated it among the nation’s newest Preserve America communities.  The Preserve America initiative is a White House effort to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America’s priceless cultural and natural heritage.

Award of Excellence

Rock Island won the prestigious Award of Excellence at the 3CMA annual awards ceremony held August 25, 2005 in Atlanta, GA.  The historic preservation video “Old Friends Are Worth Keeping” won the award in the education/training video category for cities with a population 85,000 and under.  The Savvy Awards competition is sponsored by the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA) and is held in cooperation with the National League of Cities.  The awards recognize outstanding local government achievements in communications, public-sector marketing, and citizen-government relationships. 

The Rock Island Preservation Commission created the video “Old Friends Are Worth Keeping” to present information about historic preservation and historic architecture to the community.  The video highlights the importance of protecting buildings through landmark designation and informing the public about the criteria for determining which buildings are worthy of protection. 

Eddy Awards

The City of Rock Island won the 2007 River Action Eddy Award for organizing the steam engine train excursions. The event garnered national attention as Trains Magazine lauded it as "the steam event of the year."

River Action gave the 2006 Eddy Award for Stewardship to the City of Rock Island for the Rain Gardens for Rock Island Program stating that the ecological design could serve as a model for other communities. The Eddy  Awards are given for outstanding work on the river and "going against the current to get things done."

Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the City of Rock Island by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report.  This is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and the nineteenth consecutive year that Rock Island has received this award.

Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

The City of Rock Island also received the GFOA Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation for its annual budget for fiscal year 2006/2007. This was the eighteenth consecutive year that the City of Rock Island recieved this award. In order to qualify for the award, the City's budget document was judged to be proficient in several categories including policy documentation, financial planning, and organization.

Included in Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love

The Rock Island Library will be included in the first book to sing the praises and show the beauty of public libraries. "Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love" will feature only eighty libraries in the United States. It is scheduled to be published in December 2006 by Berkshire Publishing Group.

Rock Island Preservation Society Award

The Little Stone House at Saukie Golf Course received a Rock Island Preservation Society Award for restoration of the house, which could be the oldest building in Rock Island. Built in 1844, the house was deteriorating as a result of the sandstone eroding away. Rock Island Park and Recreation found an experienced contractor who rebuilt the front structure of the building and much of the side walls.

Certificates of Appreciation

The Quad City Riverfront Council awarded the City of Rock Island four Certificates of Appreciation in 2006 for these projects:

• Enhancing the 44th Street and 3rd Avenue entryway
• Adding arches to the fencing along 1st Avenue, to mirror the Centennial Bridge arches
• For their role in helping to complete the American Discovery Trail bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Sylvan Slough
• 20th Street Overlook

Illinois Main Street

Rock Island is a member of Illinois Main Street, a comprehensive community revitalization program that promotes historic preservation and economic development of the traditional business districts or downtowns.  Illinois Main Street is based on a model developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, following the four-point approach of organization, design, promotion, and economic restructuring.

Your Paycheck Goes Further

Recently salary.com ranked Rock Island as #6 on the list of the salary value index - noting that a paycheck goes further in Rock Island.  Salary.com found the top U.S. metro areas for building personal net worth.  It looked at how the cost of living compared to the salary range for the employees in 188 metro areas with 250,000 or more residents. Basic living expenses, including property value and the pricing of such things as food and energy, and unemployment rates were correlated.