By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner’s family have a “This Old House” story to tell in officially moving back into the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield, and one thing they’re looking forward to most is being able to cook their own meals again.
Carrying boxes from a teal Volkswagen van, and followed by their dog Stella, the governor and First Lady Diana moved back into the Springfield home on Monday.
The governor said when they first moved into the mansion in 2015, their fears the facility was in horrible shape were made crystal clear.
“That very first morning I went to shave and I turned on the hot water in the sink and brown, sort of sludgy stuff came out,” Bruce Rauner said.
Diana Rauner said it was sad how much disrepair it had fallen into.
“I think that we were all appalled to see the buckets catching water from the leaky roof and mold growing up the walls in the first floor,” she said.
That prompted a push to raise $15 million in private funds for renovations through the Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association. The governor said they’ll release a list of all donors soon, but his family were major contributors.
Aside from being able to make their own meals again, as the residence didn’t have a personal kitchen, the first lady said the most important updates are about accessibility.
“This building is for the first time ADA compliant,” Diana Rauner said. “It’s accessible to all. That’s extremely important.”
The official public reopening of the mansion in Springfield will be July 14. From there, it’s expected the residence will be open to the public for tours seven days a week, free of charge.
“What’s so exciting is being able to restore the people’s how for the third century of Illinois,” Diana said with this year’s Illinois Bicentennial Celebrations ongoing. “Having that opportunity is a great privilege, it’s so important, so much history to be proud of but so much future.
It’s expected there will be an art exhibit to open inside in July and an educational visitor’s center with a professional curated exhibits to learn about Illinois’ history.
After the $15 million of privately raised funds were used to renovate the aged structure, how will it be maintained moving forward?
“That’s very important,” Diana Rauner said of regular maintenance of homes. “One of the things that we’re so proud of is that this building will now be part of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It will be well curated and well cared for.”
She said there would still be the private foundation to raise private funds for mansion repairs and updates.
While the renovations were being made, the two and their dog since April 2017 had stayed at a residence on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
“I’ll be happy not to be listening to the speedway anymore and listen to the trains instead,” Diana Rauner said.
