DYER | With commercial development filling up corridors and a large municipal park project under way, Dyer continues its reputation as a growing community.

Housing development has slowed in recent years, but that's only because the land set aside for residential use is quickly filling in, Town Manager Joe Neeb said.

The town issues between 60 and 70 building permits a year, and Neeb said he expects that rate to continue for another five years.

"Our concentration has been on business development and trying to establish our commercial identity," he said. "In the last five years, we've seen many new restaurants come into town, which is a good sign."

The town's population estimate is higher than the 2000 recorded census. Neeb said the town's count is 15,500 people, whereas the census figures put the town population at 13,895.

Town Council President Robert Rybicki said a lot of new residents are attracted to Dyer because of the Lake Central School Corp. and its proximity to major highways.

He said the town has an excellent police force with a good rapport with the community.

Dyer created a Calumet corridor plan to lay out a vision of how town officials would like to see the Calumet Avenue corridor developed, Neeb said.

A sizeable upcoming undertaking is Central Park. The 77-acre park will be a mix of active and passive recreation, with an on-site community recreation center for indoor activities, Neeb said.

It will take between 10 and 15 years to build. The recreation center is part of phase one for Central Park, which encompasses 10 acres on the north side of the property along 213th, east of Calumet Avenue.

The town, which borders Illinois, in 2005 was ranked No. 97 in Money magazine's annual Top 100 Best Places to Live.

Dyer's proximity to hotels and motels helped the town earn that distinction, Neeb said.

The town also is home to one of the leading local hospitals, St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers. The hospital is the largest employer in Dyer.

The town hosts two large annual festivals each year. Hometown Celebration, which takes place in September, began in 2004 to celebrate the connection of Calumet Avenue. Freedom Fest, which takes place in June, is the town's main summer festival.

"It's probably the premiere activity for the town of Dyer," Neeb said.

Population: 13,895

Race

95.4 percent white

0.7 percent black

0.1 percent American Indian or Alaskan native

1.6 percent Asian

1.3 percent some other race

Median age: 38.4

Median household income: $63,045

Source: 2000 Census]]>