Batavia Park District invites community to tour newly renovated community center

After completing $5.9 million in renovations, the Batavia Park District is inviting the community to tour the new Patrick J. Callahan Community Center during a grand opening celebration.

The grand opening event for the multi-generational community center is from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 9, at 150 Houston Street, with the ribbon cutting celebration taking place at 10:30 a.m.

During the event, community members can experience tours of the new facility, mini classes, giveaways and raffles, and meet and greets with instructors and staff.

Construction began last spring on the 12,940-square-feet office building located in the heart of downtown Batavia. The park district purchased the property in 2021 and began designing the layout in 2023.

The renovations include repurposing about two-thirds of the building for indoor recreational spaces for children, teens and adults, and a multi-purpose area to offer a variety of park district programming. The other third of the building houses the park district administrative offices and the Batavia Depot Museum exhibits and office spaces.

The community spaces within the building include a gathering place for active older adults and enrichment programs for children. Batavia Access Television will also operate from the building.

The community center is connected to the Fox River Trail and is adjacent to the Batavia Riverwalk. It is designed to be easily accessible by car and bicycle.

To cover the project’s costs, the park district used existing funds in addition to $2.8 million in state PARC grant funding that the district was awarded for the project. The district also received a $430,000 donation from the Batavia Historical Society to help pay for the project. The park district did not seek to increase the district’s tax levy to pay for the project.

The community center is named after the Park District Board President Pat Callahan, honoring his 27 years of service on the board.