Needs (and costs) piling up for Oglesby Dickinson House

The bowling alley in the Dickinson House in Oglesby has been shut down for months, and the issue isn’t merely mechanical but one of safety.

Lynn Parsons, secretary of the Dickinson House Foundation, wants to get the bowling alley up and running again, but she’s detected a snag: The Oglesby City Council has not made any commitment to fix it.

It’s a very important part of the city’s history.”

—  Bev Sons, Dickinson House Foundation member

“We would like to get someone in there to tell us what’s wrong and we’ll fix it,” Parsons said, “but it doesn’t seem like the city is open to that. Why? I don’t know.”

Other members of the Dickinson House Foundation share her concerns. Although no foundation member interviewed was privy to an overt statement that the city plans to relinquish support for the Dickinson House, the lack of action on the bowling alley and other pressing needs has been perceived as a sign of dwindling interest.

Bev Sons, a foundation member, agreed that no member of the still-new council – which was seated after the April 2023 elections – has threatened to withdraw support, but she believes the writing is on the wall and hopes for a commitment from City Hall.

The Dickinson House is used for an array of activities and events: birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, club meetings and as a polling place. Although the foundation is seeking outside revenue – a grant is being sought – the facility needs a financial commitment from the City Council.

“It’s just a very important part of the city’s history,” Sons said. “It’s just a valuable, valuable asset.”

Of the five members of the Oglesby City Council, three agreed to comment on the record and all three acknowledged that the Dickinson House will need an influx of cash for upkeep. None of the three pledged to halt support for the Dickinson House, but no one agreed to put it ahead of other projects, either.

Commissioner Rich Baldridge said he grew up a few blocks from the Dickinson House and “enjoyed the facility my entire childhood.”

“So I have a lot of great memories, as well,” Baldridge said. “Unfortunately, time has taken its toll on the Dickinson House, and many years of neglect haven’t helped the cause.”

Baldridge said the building is almost 100 years old. He called the restrooms “a major concern.” Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is an issue. The problems are not new – they were identified in a 2003 report.

Baldridge pushed back against any suggestion that he hasn’t been open with members of the Dickinson House Foundation. He said he met recently with foundation members and “went into great detail explaining my deep concerns regarding the outdated bowling area.”

“Nobody is against the Dickinson House,” Baldridge said. “We all wish we could restore it to its glory.”

Mayor Jason Curran noted that the building is of unique construction – “a single monolithic concrete pour” – which causes extra maintenance challenges.

“In the past three years, there have been several upgrades the city has taken on, such as paving both sides of the parking lots and fixing the roof along with downspouts,” Curran said. “Those items were really just maintenance, though.”

Nevertheless, Curran said he is “confident” that the city and the foundation “can find ways to work together to improve upon these kinds of things that the Dickinson House can be continued to be used by the current generation – and the next.”

Oglesby is not without cash. Last year, the city amassed a record share of gaming revenue and a near-record share of sales taxes that together approached $900,000.

However, city officials expect that millions will be needed to address a new, federally mandated wastewater treatment plant, infrastructure upgrades throughout the city and electrical upgrades needed to attract new businesses.

“In my opinion, our infrastructure upgrades have to come before the upkeep of the Dickinson House,” Commissioner Terry Eutis said. “We have to upgrade our wastewater treatment plant and the Mallick Substation in order to provide essential services to our constituents.”

Eutis said he could support a referendum, letting voters decide whether a portion of their taxes should be allocated for upkeep to the Dickinson House.

“There aren’t any easy fixes to the Dickinson House,” he said, “and I don’t have a fiscally responsible solution for the problems that exist.”

Lana Peterlin, a longtime supporter of the Dickinson House, acknowledged that the city has competing priorities, but she noted that the city isn’t being asked to foot the bill alone. Support from city residents is a certainty, backed up by the ongoing fundraisers and pursuit of a grant, Peterlin said.

“I think it should be offered that people will support it,” Peterlin said. “It’s definitely worth keeping open.”