Phillips Park has big day in Chicago

AURORA -- Mollie Millen has devoted years of her life to Phillips Park.

As one of the core members of Friends of Phillips Park, she volunteers there every week, spending one to three days tending to the sunken garden and other amenities. She's lived in Aurora her entire life, and she's one of the park's biggest boosters.

Which is why it was such a thrill for her when Phillips Park won one of four top prizes in the Metropolitan Planning Council's "What Makes Your Place Great?" contest last month. And it was an even bigger thrill for her to attend one of the grand prizes -- a roundtable discussion about those four great places, in Chicago on Wednesday.

Millen accompanied Amy Roth, Aurora's public information officer, to the MPC's conference center on Dearborn Avenue. Roth and representatives from the other three Great Places gave presentations, and then asked each other questions.

Roth's presentation centered on the park's history, and its impact on residents' lives. Phillips Park was created in 1899, and named after former mayor Travis Phillips, who left money in his will to construct it. For generations, she said, it has been a place where Aurorans come together, for festivals and events, and also just to enjoy a beautiful summer day.

Millen agreed, calling Phillips Park's long history "an inherent PR program."

"Six or seven generations of people have come to the park," she said. "The history is one of the things I think helps make Phillips Park great."

The roundtable included representatives from the Shops of Long Grove, Busch Community Gardens of Hope in Chicago, and Drake Garden in Chicago. (Millen, of course, said Aurora's presentation was the best.) It was moderated by Mary Schmich, of the Chicago Tribune.

In the month since winning the contest, Millen said the attendance at Phillips Park has been steady. She said she's met people who have driven long distances to see the sunken garden and other parts of the park. And while she wishes the roundtable discussion could have lasted longer and delved deeper into just what makes these places great, she said the good publicity for the park she loves so much has been terrific.

"It was wonderful to be able to tell people about Phillips Park," she said. "The press we've gotten from this has been fantastic."