The Village of Bradley is working hard to become an even better place to live.

Mayor Mike Watson says Bradley has initiated several programs to give back to the residents who live there.

First among these is a property tax rebate program. Watson says Bradley is the only area municipality rebating all the village property taxes on residential, commercial and industrial property. The rebate pertains only to the portion of the property tax bill that covers the Village of Bradley. It does not cover taxes for the elementary, high school district or any other taxing body.

The program, which is in its third year, will distribute about $1.75 million in rebates. Taxpayers can fill out a form at the village hall or download it and turn it in. The deadline, Watson said, is Oct. 1.

While many rebate programs focus on residential properties, Watson said the inclusion of industrial and commercial developments shows the village is a team player and one that is seeking investors.

There is also a program aimed at rewarding the head of households. That program is also in its third year. That effort helps both owners and renters. Persons apply between March 1 and July 31 by bringing proof of residency to the village hall, Watson said. Only one person per address is eligible, and Watson expects about 3,000 applications annually. The proof could be as simply as a sewer or other utility bill.

The head of household programs sends about $350,000 back into the community, Watson said. The program provides $10 a month for the households. It comes in the form of a gift card, which helps to stimulate business.

A third benefit program, Watson said, comes in the distribution of three holiday meals. Boxes of food are given away at the old Carson’s store in the mall on days near Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter annually.

Watson says the food is purchased by the village locally and goes out to the first 500 persons who line up to get it each time. Proof of residence is required and the village budgets $100,00 for the program.

Another village effort is aimed at encouraging people to install security cameras. Budgeted at $20,000 a year, this project requires a receipt and a verification by police and applies to both businesses and homes.

Watson said that the cameras “will add comfort to the minds of residents,” while serving to decrease crime. “The more ears and eyes we have watching,” Watson said, “the better.”

Watson said that housing in the village has remained steady. The best thing for the housing market, he says, would be for interest rates to come down. The combination of inflation and COVID had been driving them in the wrong direction.

He said people are keeping their homes up, but he hopes for a future community that will include more owners and fewer renters. He also would like to reduce the density in the village, possibly through some demolition. But nothing, he said, that is structurally sound would be demolished.

Watson said that Bradley has several projects under way or in the planning stages to improve the community.

A community center is nearing completion on Broadway. That center will serve as the new home for the Bradley Lions and for the Bradley-Bourbonnais seniors. It will also be available for rental.

Lil’s Park has a splash pad coming, as well as added parking.

Quail Park, which is tucked near the overpass on Interstate-57, is getting a new, safer rubberized surface and pickleball courts.

Glen’s Park will see playground equipment for children with special needs and a bocce ball court.

Broadway, the real main street of the village, will see an $11 million overhaul from 2025 to 2027. Drainage will be improved. There will be a median in the middle. There will be new curbs and sidewalks. The intersections will be raised. There will be antique-style street lights, benches and planters.

“It will have an entirely different look and feel,” Watson said.

Bradley, Watson said, is still discussing the future of the Northfield Square mall property.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing a water park,” Watson said.

The idea is to have an attendance of more than a third of a million people each year. The park, he said, would be open about 45 weeks a year and draw from throughout the Midwest.

Watson also hopes for a concert venue that would bring in top entertainers and additional restaurants. One tentative design calls for more green space at the heart of the project.

Bradley is also full bore on its plans to build new baseball diamonds on the property behind Dick’s Sporting Goods and Wal-Mart. While there will be competitors in the market, Watson said “if ours is the most established, we will rise to the top.”

He said the right operator will attract teams and events from throughout the country. Watson said the hope is to draw 3,000 people each weekend.

He said the diamond project and the water park center will feed off each other. Teams will come to Bradley, knowing they have a swimming and entertainment complex right there.

Watson said he knows Bradley has gone its own separate ways when it comes to conventions and tourism, and he is OK with that.

“We will promote the things we need to promote,” he said.

He said he enjoys working to improve Bradley.

“I am an infrastructure guy,” he said.

He wants to see how far Bradley can go. He wants to improve streets, sidewalks, curbs, parks and alleys.

Bradley, he said, has a bout 15,500 residents. It peaked at 15,800. Watson, like many other mayors, doesn’t think the official Census did a very good job. The village board meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays.

The village motto is “Proud of Our Past. Focused on the Future.”