Young author looks at urban sprawl

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

GENEVA – When Gina Olszowski was growing up in Batavia, she remembers the land around Randall Road being farmland. As she grew up, the suburbs grew around with her and the Geneva barista dreamed of writing a book examining the sprawl. That dream has been realized and now she’s donating two-thirds of the profits to a land conservation group.

“I sort of feel like if you live in this area, you become used to it and you don’t feel its unusual,” Olszowski, 24, said. “I thought a really cool thing to do would be to put the book to work. I’m just really excited [about] the opportunity to get this book out and do some good.” Copies of her work now sit near her as she serves customers at Graham’s 318 coffee shop in Geneva.

The book, “Coming to a Town Near You,” centers on interviews with farmers, sub-division residents, mayors and others in the area. It looks at how people view increasing suburban development and includes images of rural and newly developed areas of Kane.

Sixty-six percent of the profits from the book go to the Chicago Conservation Foundation. The group is dedicated to preserving open spaces and enlarging parks and forest preserves. Dan Lobbes, director of land preservation, said they are delighted to be working with Olszowski.

“We’re tickled pink she chose us,” Lobbes said. Lobbes approached Olszowski after hearing about her project from her boyfriend’s mother, who is a neighbor. The money raised from the sales of the book will go to the foundation’s land funds. Olszowski will also be featured at foundation events, Lobbes said.

Olszowski’s book came about as the result of a grant from The Wild Gift, an Idaho-based group that funds environmentally-oriented projects proposed by people 21 to 30 years old.

After receiving her grant, Olszowski began her interviews. The idea of sprawl and development had always intrigued, she said.

“I sort of feel like – I don’t know what the adults around me thought – I never thought it would be like this,” Olszowski said. “I thought, ‘Oh, it’s just this field, just this strip mall.’” At times, she said, the people she met were more than willing to share their views about the issues. Others, opened up more gradually.

“There were just a lot of people who seemed confused... who didn’t know what the heck this weird girl wanted to do,” Olszowski said.

To find “Coming to a Town Near You”

- visit www.atownnearyou.com

The book is carried by the local stores below:

• Graham’s 318, 318 S. Third St., Geneva

• Kiss the Sky, 301 W. State St., Geneva

• Inglenook Pantry, 11 N. Fifth St., Geneva