50+ Lifestyles

Hilltop Campus Village – Civic and Community Activities

By Scott Tunnicliff
Hilltop Campus Village
(563) 370-2098 hcvscott@gmail.com

On this page over the years, you have read about new businesses opening, great places to eat, convenience stores, religious activities, new housing, educational expansions and medical, legal, professional and personal services.

Now it is time to learn about the civic and community activities that the volunteers of the Hilltop Campus Village provide. July is Bix month – the running of the Quad-City Times Bix 7. There is a shorter course called the Quick Bix that runs right through the Hilltop Campus Village. It starts out with all the other runners facing Brady Street Hill, but the Quick Bix short route turns right on 15th Street over to Perry and back down to the finish line. The last two years, volunteers from the Hilltop Campus Village, along with many other volunteers from different organizations, have manned the water stop on Perry and provided traffic control and also directed Quick Bix runners where to turn for their course.

Another way the Hilltop Campus Village is helping the community is with the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) program. This is in partnership with Western Illinois University Quad Cities, Friends of MLK Davenport, and FBC community Outreach Ministry.

Hilltop Campus Village completes another leg of street lighting network

Project promotes safety, walkability and reinvestment in urban area

With funding from the Regional Development Authority, the Scott County Authority and its own coffers, the Hilltop Campus Village district marks the completion of another leg of its block-by-block project to provide decorative and functional lighting to this Main Street Iowa district. Nine street lights now provide more illumination to the north side of 6th street between Brady and Perry streets, and the west side of Perry between 6th and 7th.

“This has been an incremental project since we began in 2009,” said Director Scott Tunnicliff. “It germinated right after 50 or so people received training from Main Street Iowa, when we first got designated. Volunteers in the Economic Vitality Work Group asked themselves the question: ‘What are the barriers to redevelopment and reinvestment in the Hilltop?’ and came up with the perception of a lack of safety. From there it was determined to provide more targeted lighting to benefit pedestrians. The Design group wanted lighting to mirror the type of light posts both downtown and along the Gold Coast, which was done. The HCV has been doing a block or so every year, thanks to both the RDA and the SCRA.”

“Work proceeds as resources become available. The Hilltop Business Association has also pitched in when asked to augment the effort, as well as doing alleys and providing façade improvement incentives and assistance with business signage. They are an invaluable partner.”

One of the unique features of the effort has been the role played by the City in providing technical assistance that assures sustainability for the effort. “Since this started, the City has agreed that, provided we work with them to make certain the design, location, and type of lighting is what they want, they will undertake to pay for the maintenance of the street lights and the energy costs. This has been one of the key features of our grant application, which demonstrate valuable on-going partnerships.

Coming up will be lighting at the intersection of 12th and Brady, which just received grants from the RDA and SCRA. “This is a key intersection due to vehicular and pedestrian traffic count and redevelopment in the immediate area. Hopefully, we can complete that, then go north and west. The HVC is seeking ways to do a larger number of blocks in a given period, but in the meantime, we are grateful to the RDA and SCRA’s generosity. The project seems to be attracting investment and encouraging redevelopment, which is what the Hilltop Campus Village is all about.”