St. Charles Mayor, Public Works Chief Honored

Ribbon-cuttings of any kind generally generate a lot of praise among everyone who had a hand in the project that’s come to fruition, and Saturday’s Red Gate Bridge ceremonies were no exception.

Elected leaders — and former elected leaders — were among those singled out. But others were as well.

City Administrator Brian Townsend made a surprise announcement to those attending the first part of the morning’s celebration — in the Commons Area of St. Charles North High School, just down Red Gate Road to the west of the new bridge. At the supposed end of the speeches, Townsend revealed that two more items had been added to the morning’s agenda before the crowd of about 170 people could board four school buses and two St. Charles Park District shuttles for a short ride through the drizzle to the Red Gate Bridge for the actual ribbon-cutting.

First, Townsend introduced Craig Surta of St. Charles, vice president and co-founder of Architectural Cast Stone, the West Chicago firm that provided labor the architectural precast concrete for the Red Gate Bridge.

“We all understand this bridge has been a long time in the making,” the more than 20-year St. Charles resident said. “I’ve been a West Side guy, an East Side guy, and now a West Side guy again, and I can tell you, sometimes crossing the river has been a challenge.

“This bridge has been a long time in the making … and there have been many people involved in it, it is truly under the leadership of Mayor Don DeWitte that the job got done,” said Surta, who then unveiled a precast concrete plaque commemorating the bridge project and DeWitte’s role in it.

It took both Surta and DeWitte to lift the large medallion high enough for the audience to see.

Next up for honors was a 30-year city employee who has been a part of constructing two bridges in St. Charles. Townsend praised Public Works Director Mark Koenen. “With all due respect to everyone in this room, I think there is probably no one who has worked harder and has put in more time and more effort to see this project to completion,” Townsend said.

DeWitte said Koenen is better known for his efforts behind the scenes, not at the podium.

“For those of you who know Mark Koenen, this is the last place he wants to be right now,” DeWitte told the crowd. “Without Mark’s dedication and leadership leading our Public Works Department for over the past 30 years, along with Frank Gorham, there’s probably been no one else involved with this project as long as Mark has.”

DeWitte presented Koenen with a fox statue with a plaque reading, “In grateful appreciation for your commitment to the advancement of the city of St. Charles. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Congratulations to you on a wonderful project.”

Koenen, holding the statue, expressed his surprise at the honor. “... It was you all who made this possible for me,” he said. “Today is really about St. Charles and uniting two sides of the river as we look ahead,. Thank you all, and please share the vision.”

Related:

• Dec. 15, 2012: Red Gate Bridge Opens on St. Charles’ North End
• Dec. 6, 2012: Dec. 15 Ribbon-Cutting Set for Red Gate Bridge
• Nov. 28, 2012:
• Oct. 3, 2012 Blog: Red Gate Bridge on schedule for December 15th opening
• Aug. 28, 2012: St. Charles’ Red Gate Bridge Project Advancing

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