The Huntley Farmside

              Inside
• More Huntley Expo news and photos
• Grafton Township reassessment list
35 cents
The
Farmside
Thursday, March 4,1999 ^ ^^^^^ Publications newspaper /i/ serving the Huntley community y^i^^^ 3S j^^yg 47
Huge turnout makes Huntley Expo a success
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications
Crowded was a good word to describe the sixth annual Hunt¬ ley Business Expo.
The parking lot was crowded with cars and large crowds of people Strolled through the 40 or SO booths that packed into the gym of Huntley South Elemen¬ tary School.
Sponsored by the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce, the three-day event included 30 new exhibitors, expo organizer Cathy DeQuaker said.
"We usually draw from Rockford and from far away as Wisconsin," DeQuaker said, adding that next year the cham¬ ber may have to request use of the high school gym.
Chamber secretary Karen Reck said she was pleased with the good turnout.
Hands were full of bags of goodies and free literature col-
"I think it's an
imperative thing.
Mostly because of
the growth in town.
These [business]
people are
positioned to be on
the ground floor
when it all happens."
Frank Fryer
Huntley Tech Center
lected at the expo.
Karen Wisbar of Elgin, who was in town visiting her parents, decided to stop by the expo with her five-year-old daughter and two young cousins. Their faces were painted and their hands clung to free Frisbees and bal¬ loons given away.
Photo by Steve Brosinski
Matt Drafall, 12, (left) and Mike Pascaz, 10, offer candy to Liz Halat-Vazzano of Tom's Farm Market during the Huntley Expo held last weekend in the gym of Huntley South Elementary School.
Exhibitors included represen¬ tatives of banks, real estate com¬ panies, builders, churches, local merchants and the village of Huntley, as well as new busi¬ nesses planning *o move to town, such as the Elgin Finan¬ cial Bank.
Ted Niedboler of Elgin Financial said construction on
the two-story brick building across from Sun City should begin sometime this summer.
"We're looking forward to moving to Huntley. We want to be part of the growth taking place here," he said.
Dr. Jim Kearns, owner of Huntley Chiropractic and Mas¬ sage Therapy, operated one of
the more popular booths. People stood waiting in line for the free three-minute massages Kerns was offering at his booth.
"Oh it was wonderful," said a relaxed Clarice Crabill of Hunt¬ ley after rising up from the portable massage chair. "It fully relaxes you. He could have kept
see Expo—page 2
Village officials seek remedy for Huntley Towers
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications
Village officials are working on a compromise solution with the owners of Huntley Towers that may allow more parking at the shopping center.
Last week, the board rejected Niko Kanakaris's bid to open up six retail shops because the parking area was too small. The
38 parking spots available on the property are about half the amount required by village reg¬ ulations.
Kanakaris sought a variance that would allow him to open the stores without adding increased parking. Although the board rejected the request, they did agree to allow him to open two shops.
Trustee Charles Becker said
"This has been a real can of worms. A trustee's nightmare They're [the developers] the ones that messed up, not us."
Charles Becker
Village Trustee
the village officials met with Kanakaris's representatives this week to see if a mutual agree¬
ment can reached on the parking issue.
'This has been a real can of
worms. A trustee's nightmare," Becker said. 'They're [the develop¬ ers] the ones that messed up, not us."
Becker, who voted to allow the revised variance, said he was concerned with the increased traffic on Route 47.
"This is a strategic arterial road. It could be six lanes some¬ day," Becker said.
Kanakaris could not be reached for comment.