Leaders from the city of St. Charles, as well as its schools, parks and library, gave a 90-minute presentation at a recent St. Charles Chamber of Commerce State of the City address.

Speaking to a crowd of about 100 at the Hilton Garden Inn Oct. 8, the leaders described the successes and challenges of maintaining St. Charles as The Pride of the Fox.

Mayor Clint Hull spoke about the future of the Charlestowne Mall.

“It is a very, very ... difficult project,” Hull said. “And it doesn’t scare us away. ... We continue to meet with the owners. ... This is not something that’s going to get done in six months. It’s not something that’s probably going to be done in a year.”

Economic Development Director Derek Conley said the problem is the five-mile radius from the mall – which is largely closed except for the movie theater – requires a larger population.

That population is just under 108,000, while the five-mile radius around other malls – such as Gurnee Mills – is 150,000, Conley said.

This is due in part to the Kane County Forest Preserve and the DuPage Airport being nearby. This doesn’t translate into rooftops where people live, and would be willing to go there it was an entertainment complex or a Topgolf facility.

“It’s a math problem,” Hull said. “Businesses are not going to come because of the 107,000 [population]. ... We may want these things, but the reality of how to get a developer to come to St. Charles to do it, is different.”

St. Charles is also challenged by what to do with the former police station at 10 State Ave., now that a new station was built at 1515 W. Main St.

“We can afford to take our time and develop it in the right way,” Conley said.

The dam

City Administrator Heather McGuire spoke about the dam and the Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois Department of Natural Resources proposals to remove the Fox River’s dams.

McGuire said the Corps and the state are looking for a letter of support from the city just to engage in environmental assessments of the river and the dam.

“Many of you may have seen those riverboats out there. They are collecting samples, trying to assess the sediment levels in the dam to determine, if the dam is removed, where does that sediment go?” McGuire said. “Is it contaminated and how does that impact the health of the river?”

The IDNR does not want to own the dam anymore, but it cannot be removed without the city’s consent, McGuire said.

“They want to work towards that goal in however we get there as long as we are on the same page,” McGuire said.

The sediment analysis will likely extend to 2027, when the state will expect some sort of commitment from the city, she said.

District 303

St. Charles School District 303 Superintendent Paul Gordon said the district is clear about how it wants to engage its students.

“Meaningful engagement within those classrooms, meaningful engagement even outside of our classrooms – ensuring that each and every one of our students is recognized in their dignity, their humanity – is understood in the work that they do every day,” Gordon said.

All the work is tied back to the district’s strategic plan and its commitment statement, Gordon said: “Together we are building pathways to excellence.”

“We focus on learning,” Gordon said. “We are unapologetically a learning organization. ... We are one of the best school districts in the state. ... We are about assuring ... that each and every one of our young people ... has a great opportunity to take advantage of the education that is offered in D303.”

When education thrives, students do better, and when students do better, so does the community, Gordon said.

St. Charles Park District

St. Charles Park District Director of Parks and Recreation Holly Cabel described the advances the district made with successful state grants, one of them $750,000 from the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grant for an agricultural lab at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road.

“Primrose Farm, before center was built, had no indoor temperature controls, no programmable space,” Cabel said.

Now supported by the matching state grant, Primrose Farm has offices, a demonstration kitchen, restrooms and hosts farm-to-table classes, field trips and food education.

A $600,000 grant from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will fund renovations at East Side Sports Complex, 3565 Legacy Blvd.

“Improvements included three pickleball courts, an adult fitness course and a hiking trail ... renovated tennis courts ... and accessible ramps to the baseball fields,” Cabel said.

St. Charles Public Library

St. Charles Public Library Executive Director Kate Buckson said this year, the library marked attendance levels returning to levels not seen since 2020.

“After years of uncertainty about whether the library would fully return from the pandemic, we’re thrilled to see the St. Charles community once again filling the library with strong numbers,” Buckson said.

A thousand people a day visit the library or access its collection or digital services, over a million items this year, she said.

“This reaffirms our role as a center for learning and connection,” Buckson said.

Elgin Community College

Elgin Community College Marketing Director Ashley Zeman said the college district, which serves a portion of St. Charles, offers 120 degree and certificate programs.

“ECC is the place if you live in St. Charles,” Zeman said.

In addition to its main campus in Elgin, it also has a center for emergency services training in Burlington where future police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians can start their careers.

ECC can assist both young students and older adults to get training to enter the workforce quickly, or transfer credits to a four-year university, Zeman said.

The community college also expects to open its 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and technology center next fall.