Lisle Park District Proposed Community Center Frequently Asked Questions

Shall the Lisle Park District, DuPage County, Illinois, build and equip a new community center, demolish the existing community center at Community Park, improve the site thereof and issue its bonds to the amount of $21,900,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

1.  How large is the proposed building and what amenities are included?

·         85,449 square feet

·         Indoor multiple-use gymnasium (new)

·         5 preschool rooms (currently provided at the Meadows Center)

·         Senior wing (currently provided at the Meadows Center)

·         Fitness center (currently provided at the existing Community Center)

·         Indoor walking/jogging track (new)

·         Multi-purpose rooms (currently available at the Meadows Center and existing 

      Community Center)

·         Dance room (currently provided at the Meadows Center)

·         Aerobic studio (currently provided at the Meadows Center)

·         Babysitting area (new)

·         Staff offices (currently provided at the Meadows Center and existing Community

      Center)

2.  Why can't the park district continue to utilize existing facilities? Why is a new building necessary?

·         The Board of Park Commissioners believes that the cost of continuing to utilize

      existing facilities is becoming prohibitive and that the Park District would be better

      served by an investment in meeting the long term, future needs of the district. 

The Meadows Center was built in 1964 and is owned by school district 202.  Since 1987, the school district and park district have enjoyed a mutually beneficial lease arrangement.  However the current lease expires in September 2009.  The building is in a deteriorating condition and requires significant improvements for whoever wishes to occupy it into the future.  Preliminary reports, including an appraisal on the property with the building intact as well as an existing conditions analysis, have indicated that it would cost the park district an estimated $6,000,000 to acquire and make the necessary improvements to the Meadows Center.  However, this option does not address the documented demand for additional programming space.

The existing Community Center on Short Street is in a similar position.  The Community Center was built in 1975 when Lisle's population was approximately 8,400.  Today's program offerings, facility demand and staff resources simply cannot be accommodated through the existing building.  The Park Board believes that periodic attempts to modify the building to keep pace with increased demand for services are no longer a viable option.  The building is in need of significant improvements.  A 2004 study estimated the cost of a comprehensive interior renovation of the Community Center at between $3,000,000 and $4,000,000.  This renovation would move components within the existing facility into more efficient and user friendly arrangements, but would not allow for any more diversity in program offerings.

In summary, to continue to use existing facilities in the short term would require an investment of an estimated $9 million to $10 million.

3.  Why can't the park district purchase other existing vacant facilities in Lisle, thereby saving on constructing something new?

·         Acquisition and renovation costs are high, would not allow for indoor gymnasium

      space or very much in the way of increased flexibility in program offerings or

      expansion. 

4. What will happen to the Meadows Center property if the referendum passes?

·        While the park district currently thinks investing in the Meadows Center building is

     unwise, the surrounding open space is valuable to both park district programs and

     events as well as other user groups including Lisle Baseball-Softball League and

     most importantly the residents of the Meadows subdivision.  The park district has

     asked the school district if we can begin discussions about extending our lease.

5.  How much will this new facility cost?

·         $21.9 million.

6.  What effect will that have on my tax bill?

·         For the owner of a home with an assessed valuation of $300,000, a bond issue to

      pay for the proposed new indoor recreation center would result in an estimated tax

      increase of $$99.21 /year or $8.24/month for a period of 20 years. 

7.  Which of the proposed amenities are new to the Community Center?

·         Multi-use gymnasium

·         Walking/jogging track

·         Babysitting area

8.  What new and expanded programs and services will be available?

·         Expanded adult fitness and wellness programs

·         Enhanced arts and crafts opportunities

·         Expanded and enhanced indoor youth and adult sports opportunities (including

      basketball, volleyball, and others)

·         Babysitting

·         Walk-in use of indoor gymnasium & walking/jogging track

·         Larger and modernized fitness facility

·         The senior center offers a separate entry, improved access, and better

      segregation from other building activities. 

·         The early childhood and pre school amenities will provide improved security,

      accessibility and flexibility in programming.

·         When not used for park district programming, the multi-use rooms will be available

     as public meeting room space for homeowner associations, civic groups,

      businesses, volunteer organizations, and community groups, as well as parties,

      bridal & baby showers, and receptions.

·         The multi-use gymnasium will be a forum for programs other than the traditional

      basketball and volleyball activities.  A small sample of alternative programming

      opportunities includes:

       o        Indoor soccer skills training

       o        Batting cages for off-season baseball/softball training

       o        Year round training for various local sports teams, travel teams, affiliates

                  and clubs. 

       o        Large community gatherings, including socials, dances, and "town hall"    

                  type meetings

·         Generally, improved program possibilities exist across the board due to the

      flexibility provided within the proposed design.

9.  Has the district considered adding an indoor aquatic element?

·         The ability of the park district to create affordable indoor aquatic programs that

      could generate enough revenue to cover the high cost of daily maintenance and

      operations of an indoor aquatic facility in our community is remote at best.

·         The buildable area on Short Street is limited, because of the proximity of the

      proposed building footprint to adjacent property lines to the west and north, Sea

      Lion Aquatic Park to the south, and the floodplain to the east.  Adding an indoor

      pool would result in having to significantly reduce the sizes of other building

      amenities, including areas for seniors, early childhood, indoor athletics, fitness,

      and multiple use space.        

10.  How many employees will need to be added in this new facility?

·         One:  The Park District expects to hire only one new employee, a full-time fitness

      and wellness coordinator, to work at the proposed new indoor recreation center.

Currently the fitness coordinator is a part-time employee.  However, to meet the growing demand of our adult fitness and wellness programs and to fully program the available program space in the new facility, a full time position will be required.  The Park Board anticipates that the increased revenue derived from these programs will cover the cost of this position. 

Existing staff who operate and maintain the district's two buildings today will facilitate the operations and maintenance of the new facility.  We expect to eliminate the duplication of services that is currently required in order to operate two separate and independent facilities.  Any new programs that will be offered will be done so on a contractual basis, meaning class/program instructors will not be employees of the Lisle Park District;  the cost of the contractual instructors will be covered by the program fees for the particular class.

11.  My home is much older than 50 years and it does not need improvements park district facilities seem to need.  Why is the park district in such a position?

Both the Meadows Center and the Community Center are now being used in ways they simply were not designed for.  The Meadows Center was built as a school building, not a public recreation center.  As such, park district staff and users have found program areas to be deficient, inflexible, and inefficient.  Some are simply inaccessible.   Because the building was built as an elementary school, the site was designed with a minimal parking.  Expanding the existing parking lot is not feasible due to storm water requirements imposed by DuPage County.  Further, the building's original construction was seemingly done on a tight budget, as existing conditions have revealed relatively inexpensive building techniques that have resulted in structural deficiencies over the long term.  Current building code limits our ability to piece-meal needed repairs, the result of which would be a costly investment with a questionable, short term return.

The existing Community Center on Short Street was constructed when the park district employed only a handful of employees, operated a minimal number of programs and services, and served a community population of 8,400.  At the time, it was truly a "Community Center."  The original use of the building is but a distant memory.  What was originally built to accommodate a half dozen employees and provide large open program areas is now home to a fitness center, 15 full time employees, and all the necessary support areas to deliver services to a community of over 32,000 residents.  The building's mechanical systems are in need of significant and costly repairs and improvements, and space constraints prevent the park district from effectively and efficiently delivering the services today's community demands.

12.  Why does the park district need to put a referendum before the voters during such hard economic times?

The Commissioners of the Park District are taxpayers, too, and they understand that the current economy presents a challenge to all residents of the District.  However, it is the opinion of the Park Board that the need for a new indoor recreation center is urgent, in view of both the increasing demands for recreational programming, as demonstrated by our 2006 survey of District residents, and the impending expiration of our lease at the Meadows Center.  In deciding to place a referendum on the November ballot, the Park Board also considered the fact that construction costs are rapidly escalating and that the tax-exempt interest rates are well below their 20-year average, making this a favorable time to move forward with this project, in the Park Board’s opinion.

13.  What happens if the referendum does not pass?

In order to continue to be able to deliver current services, the park district would consider its options, including seeking a referendum to invest in current facilities at an estimated cost of $10 million.  While this plan would be less costly, it does not address the deficiency in indoor gymnasium space, indoor walking-jogging track, multi purpose space or public meeting rooms, and very little to address the growing demand for aerobics, dance, fitness and wellness programs.   This option will not provide any opportunities to meet the community's continued growing demand for services or provide for improved facility flexibility to accommodate changes in recreation trends.   The park district sees this as a very costly, ill-advised and short term "quick fix". 

If no referendum passes at all, the park district will most likely be forced to eliminate programs for seniors, early childhood, preschool, and other services currently delivered through the Meadows Center.

14.  What are the projected operational expenses for the proposed new indoor recreation center and can the district afford to pay for them?

·         With a facility this size, one of the Park District’s largest expenses will be utility

      costs, which we anticipate totaling between $100,000 and $120,000 annually.

·         Between the existing Community Center and Meadows Center, the district's annual

      utilities cost is between $30,000 and $36,000.  The current lease payments for the

      Meadows Center are $72,600 this year and $145,200 in 2009.  Therefore, the park

      district is allocating $102,600 this year and $175,200 next year in existing facilities'

      utilities and rent alone.  Those allocations would be shifted to fund the new

      facility's operational costs.

·         In addition, the increased revenue potential of the facility (gymnasium, fitness

      center and related fitness & wellness classes to name just a few) is expected to

      further fund the operational costs as well as generate an annual surplus that will

      fund equipment replacement schedules and ongoing facility maintenance.

15.  Why can't the park district construct this project with current funds?

As a result of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, commonly known as the tax cap, the Park District’s tax revenues have not kept pace with our community’s increasing demand for recreational programs and facilities.   The Park District therefore simply does not have sufficient surplus funds on hand to pay for this project.