SYCAMORE – Construction on a new $1 million public walking path is underway in southeast after receiving the green light from Ideal Industries stakeholders, officials said. Steve Henn, Ideal’s CEO, said members of the family that founded the industrial equipment supplier in Chicago before relocating to Sycamore a century ago approve of the walking path. The path will travel around a retention pond near the business’ campus along Borden Avenue and South Prairie Drive.
“It’s not just the Ideal business that’s supporting this, but it’s also the shareholder families. We are kicking in the majority of the money, but the family foundation, they’re also putting in some,” Henn said. “That’s part of their giveback to the community that’s supported them for 100 years.
They wanted to participate.” Sycamore Mayor Steve Braser said he appreciates what the company has brought to the community over the past century. “They’ve brought jobs, they’ve brought other businesses with them,” Braser said.
“They have been such a good neighbor, and just whatever they could do, they were always willing to do it. Really, really appreciate them. They’ve given back more ways to the city, too.
They’ve served on boards and commissions, and had so much to do with other things in town that are too numerous for me to even mention. They have just been a great partner. The Juday family has just more than stepped up.
We hardly ever ask them. They usually step up beforehand.�.