If you’ve strolled down Batavia’s Houston Street in the past few months, you’ve probably seen signage at the 150 Houston St. building announcing the Batavia Park District’s future Patrick J. Callahan Community Center. Perhaps you wondered how this project will be funded. Will your taxes go up?
The good news is this project will not affect your taxes. The Callahan Community Center project will be funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act grant program, which is part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital improvement program. The remainder of the project is funded through the district’s five-year capital development program.
Thirteen recreation projects across the state were awarded more than $28 million to acquire or develop land for recreation or public access use. Local governments match the value of the grant.
These grants make a difference in the quality of parks and facilities in the community. PARC grants cover 75% of capital project costs for communities, Batavia Park District Director Allison Niemela said. The program focuses on renovation and construction of indoor facilities, Niemela said. Indoor facilities are not eligible under any other IDNR grant program.
The Batavia Park District received a $2.8 million grant to fund renovation at the Callahan Community Center, which was purchased in 2021. The 12,940-square-foot, two-story building that you may have visited in the past for doctor or dentist appointments will be repurposed into a community recreation center to increase the district’s indoor recreation space.
Planned renovations include demolishing existing offices, restrooms and closets, installing an elevator and carpentry, drywall, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work, along with safety systems, finishes and furniture. The parking lot will be modified to be accessible.
What does this news mean for you? Batavia will gain a new community center in the heart of downtown at no cost to taxpayers. Callahan Community Center is scheduled to open in 2027 and will include 8,480 square feet dedicated to meet community needs for indoor recreation space for children, teens and adults in a variety of programming areas. The remaining 4,460 square feet will include administrative offices and Batavia Depot Museum exhibits, offices and maker spaces.
“Our staff puts a lot of effort into looking for and applying for alternative revenue. With grants, we are able to do more with what we have and increase amenities, producing world-class parks and facilities for the community,” Niemela said.