An annual display of Peoria history is hot off the presses. The 2022 CityLink historical calendar is now available.
The Greater Peoria Mass Transit District has produced an annual calendar since 1990. The calendars initially focused on the streetcars that operated until 1946 in Peoria as well as the first buses that operated on Downtown streets.
The 2022 calendar showcases Peoria homes, said Emily Watson, CityLink’s marketing director.
“A few years ago we decided to go back to featuring historical photographs and have a certain theme for the calendars,” Watson said on a new installment of WCBU's history series Postmark Peoria.
Past themes have included area restaurants, hotels or theaters, said Watson.
“This year (2021) we featured Peoria restaurants. I think a lot of people enjoyed being able to learn about restaurants that once operated in Peoria,” she said.
Coming up different themes is becoming more difficult as the years go by, said Watson, entering her 10th year with CityLink.
“It starts to get kind of challenging after awhile but the Special Collections Center at Bradley University suggested we do residences. They were able to come up with some really great homes to feature in this year’s calendar,” she said.
Most of the residences pictured don’t exist anymore, but the one featured in January is still standing, said Watson.
The annual calendar has become something that many transit riders and Peoria residents look forward to every year, she said.
“We have people that come in every year for the calendar,” said Watson, noting that she still has copies of the 2021 calendar for those that may have missed it.
In addition to a new calendar there are other things to look forward to at CityLink in the new year, she said.
“We’re going to have an app that will allow people to track their buses. That should be a huge benefit for passengers and our customer service people as well. They get lots of calls from people asking where their bus is,” said Watson.
After experiencing some technical problems, CityLink also expects to get three new electric buses on the streets in 2022, she said.
The transit calendar is available at CityLink offices at 2105 NE Jefferson and at the Downtown transit center on Adams Street. A suggested donation of $5 goes to Peoria Friendship House, said Watson.
