July 08, 2025 

City Manager Pamela Reece

Although the July 7 Normal Town Council meeting was cancelled, we still have a lot of news to share.

Read on to learn about renovations at the library and the local skatepark, as well as upcoming festivals and events.

Don't forget - July is Park and Recreation Month! Check out the schedule and enjoy.

The Town of Normal is a hub of enriching experiences, offering more than essential services of road maintenance and waste management. Our goal is to enhance your quality of life. I'm proud of Town of Normal staff who work hard to provide wonderful experiences that add to the tapestry of our community, and I hope you are, too! 

Recently, Uptown Normal was featured in St. Louis Magazine.

We are proud of all Uptown Normal has to offer and thankful for the work of the Cultural Arts Department! 

Share the link to this article on your social media to show your pride in our community! 

Normal Public Library staff have been working hard to ready the renovated building at 206 W. College.

They plan to open later this month, but are waiting on additional furniture and shelving. The temporary branch at 201 W. College remains open. 

Before re-opening the permanent building, they will have to close for a few days to transition from the temporary branch to the renovated library. Watch their Facebook page and website for more information! 

For additional information about project and other pictures of the update, visit the Normal Public Library page on the Normal Forum. 

Above: A sneak peek at new soft seating on the west side of the first floor, in the adult nonfiction collection.

A living classroom and pantry rolled into one. Explore sustainable food in action at this wonderful amenity in One Normal Plaza.

To learn about current activities, visit the Refuge Food Forest Facebook page, managed by U of I Extension. 

Tucked inside One Normal Plaza, the Refuge Food Forest is your go-to green space for free, organically grown produce. 

This 1.4-acre space is filled with fruit and nut trees, herbs, berries and edible perennials, all grown without synthetic chemicals. Grab what you need, lend a hand  or just enjoy the natural beauty.

Source: Refuge Food Forest on Town website

Join us from 2 to 4 p.m., Tuesday, July 22, Skatepark at Fairview Park!

Watch high-energy skateboarding demonstrations and autograph sessions. Professional skater Jud Heald will join local skaters on the course! Julia Brueckler, a professional skater who played a key role in developing the course, will also sign autographs. 

The newly redesigned Fairview Skatepark features a street and pump-style layout with exciting elements like grind boxes, rails, quarter pipes, banks, stairs and slappy curb.

Above: Views from the Skatepark's Chronolog station compare pre- (left) and post-reconstruction (right). Watch a time-lapse of construction at the Skatepark Chronolog website. 

Above: Aerial views compare the skatepark pre- (left) and post-reconstruction (right). 

Month-Long Activities: 

🐍 Rocky The Rattler

🔍Scavenger Hunt 

July 12 Unplug Day Events: 

Birding at Maxwell Park

Pack the Park

Family Pickleball Clinic 

Putt for Dough at Ironwood Golf Course

Superhero Day 

Watch the Parks & Rec Facebook page for regular updates. 

The July 26 Christmas In July retail extravaganza is around the bend! Don't miss all the summer fun in Uptown Normal!

Visit the Town of Normal website for past editions of Normal Now. 

Don't miss an email! In your inbox, tag the Normal Now emails as Primary (Google) or Focused (Outlook) to ensure you get them as soon as they are delivered. 

Thank you for being part of our community! We want to hear from you! Let us know how we're doing and what you'd like to see in future editions of Normal Now.