What a great opportunity we now have with the publication of THE EAST PEORIA HOMETOWN VOICE  to tout the many great attributes of East Peoria as a community and to share with its residents informative and uplifting news on a regular basis. Let us begin by sharing a little background information about East Peoria. Incorporated in 1919, the City of East Peoria operates under the commission form of government, which is a municipal form of government governed by a council consisting of the mayor and four commissioners. East Peoria’s history is one of resilience, transformation, and a sense of community pride. With a population of 22,484, East Peoria continues to maintain a friendly, small-town atmosphere while offering many large city amenities.

Thanks to years of visionary leadership, East Peoria has revitalized several dilapidated sectors of the city into vibrant mixed-use areas. EastSide Centre, EastPort Marina, The Levee District, Civic Plaza, Levee Park, the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, and much of the development along the riverfront from Embassy Suites Riverfront Hotel and Conference Center to Bass Pro all serve as perfect examples. The Blutowne mixed-use development that is currently under construction next to City Hall brings with it the residential component that was included in the original downtown redevelopment plan. We will be announcing soon the brand of the hotel to be constructed beginning in late Spring of 2025 along the riverfront near the former Granite City location.  

We also recognize the importance of maintaining and improving our current infrastructure and in the last five years, we have placed a real emphasis on making improvements to our aging infrastructure and facilities. The City’s wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded and modernized. We continue to reinvest in EastSide Centre and EastPort Marina. A number of large street, water, and sewer main replacement projects have been completed, with several more ongoing. Construction of a new police station to be located at 500 W. Camp is scheduled to begin late this Fall. Another top priority is to increase funds allocated for annual residential street maintenance. It is our goal to continue moving our community forward in a fiscally responsible manner.   

At the City of East Peoria, we take immense pride in our unwavering commitment to public safety, excellent municipal services, and mindset that the needs of our community always come first.  

As always, it is our privilege to serve the good people of East Peoria.