New rec center project stirs debate in Mt. Vernon
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By TRAVIS MORSE
tmorse@morningsentinel.com
MOUNT VERNON — The highly anticipated project to build a new indoor recreation center in Mount Vernon sparked an in-depth debate and discussion at Tuesday night’s Mount Vernon City Council meeting.
Several audience members addressed the council that evening, urging them to not be short-sighted in planning the design for the new rec center. More specifically, some asked the council to include a six-lane competition swimming pool in the new facility because of the benefits that would have for the community, both in terms of generating revenue and providing competitive swimming opportunities for kids.
“I think it’s something the city needs,” said Troy Heitmeyer, who spoke alongside his wife Trinda. They referred to themselves as “swim parents” whose daughter swam competitively for many years. “I think it’s something the city would thrive on. I would just ask that you don’t be short-sighted up front. I understand the money. That’s tough to get. I get all of that. But if we’re going to build a pool, let’s build a six-lane. I think a three-lane pool is not going to get us what we want.”
Audience member J. Nelson Wood also spoke in favor of a six-lane pool. He said that to only have a three-lane shallow pool would be a “travesty with what we’re doing here,” because the key is to have a multi-use pool facility servicing a broad spectrum of people.
“Let’s do this right,” Wood said. “We have one shot at this, probably in all of our lives, and probably for several generations.”
There was much discussion Tuesday on how much a six-lane pool might add to the project’s total cost, and whether that feature should be factored into the plan right now or as a possible add-on later if money is available after the basics are covered. There is also a similar question about whether to add a third basketball court to the facility.
The bottom line, however, is that the planning and design of the new facility is still ongoing and there are not yet firm cost estimates for all of these features, city officials said. It will likely be at least another month yet before more specific figures are available.
“We just got out of the box phase of the drawings into something … more detailed schematics,” said Mayor John Lewis. “So they’re not even to the point where they can give us exact numbers yet. I mean, we will have them. … Once we get to that complete plan, we’ll have all the numbers. … That’s what we’re working towards every day.”
Current Plan
The current plan is to build a new indoor rec center at Lincoln Park, just south of the Aquatic Zoo. The hope is to have the design portion of the project finished by mid-to-late May, to have bidding started in mid-July, and for construction to begin in late August. It will then take about a year to finish construction.
While the specific design has not yet been approved, the current plan calls for a roughly 49,759 square foot facility that may include a 3,000 square foot leisure pool, along with possibly swimming lap lanes, a gymnasium, walking and jogging tracks, locker rooms, and more.
Cost estimates for the entire rec center are projected at around $26 million. In December, the city council approved a plan to issue $30 million worth of bonds to pay for the new facility. City officials believe the facility can be built without a tax increase but instead using revenue from existing home rule sales tax. Also, the 3% municipal cannabis tax would be used to supplement the operational cost of the facility, Sentinel archives state.
Addressing the Council
The first audience member to address the council Tuesday was Terry Milt. He urged the city council to work closely with the YMCA of Jefferson County as it embarks on the indoor rec center project.
“We feel that we’re vital to this community, as demonstrated by our people that are out here tonight. We feel we can work with you because we do not see a need to duplicate programs,” Milt said, later adding, “You have one shot to build a building, a facility that everybody can use. Yes, I understand it could get on tax rolls, I understand nobody wants taxes. But you have one shot. Build it so we have something to be proud of. We’ve got a new high school we’re proud of, we’ve got a great grade school we’re proud of, let’s have a rec facility that we’re proud of, let’s get three basketball courts, let’s get the pools the depth that we need them. You’ve got one shot. Go down in history as the city council that made Mount Vernon better.”
Mayor Lewis said that he and City Manager Nathan McKenna have met with Milt and informed him that the city will work with the YMCA in any way it can to benefit the community, the city, and his organization.
During his remarks, J. Nelson Wood invited Jake Junghanel to address the council as well. Junghanel is the Centralia Foundation Operations Manager and manages the Centralia Rec Center. Junghanel spoke about some of the misconceptions out there about having a six-lane pool vs. a three-lane pool.
For example, he said having a six-lane pool would not double the cost for construction, and it would not double the heating costs either.
Also speaking Tuesday was Rolland Mays, former orchestra director at Mount Vernon Township High School. He compared the rec center situation to the construction of the new MVTHS facility and how he and others had to fight to get such a great new theater at the new MVTHS campus.
“So if we’re going to do it, let’s do every possible means of establishing something that we won’t look back 10 years and say we should have done this,” Mays said.
Dr. George Neal, a long-time local dentist, also addressed the city council on the new rec center and growing a local pickleball community.
“I speak in favor of the rec center and everything that is trying to do, and I think you ought to plan big and go for it all. I don’t think it would be regrettable,” Neal said. “I speak in favor of the YMCA partnership with the city. I see multiple advantages to that.”
The city council did not take any action on the rec center project at Tuesday’s meeting. The planning and design process is ongoing, city officials said.
Other city council actions Tuesday included:
- The council approved a $152,300 bid from Diamond Equipment for a new backhoe for public utilities.
- The council approved a street closure request for a portion of Ninth Street for this season’s Market Days events. Later, the council also approved requesting permission from the state to temporarily close part of State Route 15 for the July 4 Salute to Freedom Celebration.
- The council approved two rezoning ordinances.
- The council approved intergovernmental agreements with District 80 Schools and MVTHS regarding the Route 15 TIF extension.
- The council approved a redevelopment agreement with SK Vernon, LLC.
- The council approved measures related to the city’s membership in the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network.
- The council heard first readings on ordinances related to the new North 42nd Street TIF District.
- The council approved a resolution to designate employees’ authority to purchase through state contracts.
