The Mount Carmel City Council announced plans for a groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. on Nov. 19 for the city’s new aquatic center and said preliminary excavating work has begun.

Mayor (speaker 1) said the city has started biweekly meetings with Landmark and will launch a naming-rights campaign tied to the project. “We just actually had a commitment of a $30,000 donation towards the pool project,” the mayor said, adding the donor’s name will be revealed at a later date.

City officials also confirmed receipt of a $95,820.80 Energy Transition Grant and thanked the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and county partners for assistance in pursuing the award. The mayor said a public hearing on the grant will be held Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. in the City Hall council room.

The council described opportunities for resident and business sponsorships ranging from naming rights on the building to engraved bricks along walkways. City staff said excavating started and, weather permitting, initial dirt work should finish within about 10 days.

Background: council and staff described the project timeline as fast-moving once vertical construction begins. No construction contract award, final budget or naming-rights agreements were finalized at the meeting.

What’s next: the city will hold the grant public hearing on Nov. 24 and proceed with the scheduled Nov. 19 groundbreaking; additional donor announcements and naming-rights materials are expected in coming weeks.