IVCC committee hears Oglesby pitch for a solar farm

The Illinois Valley Community College board’s facilities committee met Thursday to discuss master plan projects, an ag building grant, a three-year farm lease and a proposal from the city of Oglesby for a solar farm on college land.

College administrators met recently with city of Oglesby representatives to discuss Oglesby’s desire to annex a piece of IVCC farmland for a solar farm. The farm would allow the city to incorporate green energy into its grid and potentially lead to educational and training opportunities for IVCC students.

Master plan projects discussed included:

• Repurposing of the therapeutic massage area in the upper gym into a lab for dental hygiene and dental assisting. Dental hygiene is targeted to launch in fall 2023.
• A nursing simulation lab being constructed in an open space in B Building that was formerly the site of the Math Learning Center.
• Expansion of the biology lab into what is currently home to the Art Studio in the lower level of Building B.
• Replacement of the salt shed located near the ag storage building. The shed will be demolished and reconstructed near the maintenance building on east campus.

In other business, the committee learned:

• IVCC received a $240,788 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant for construction of an agriculture center adjacent to the storage building. The funding will be used for parking lot paving and asphalt work.
• A request for proposals will be issued in September for a tenant to farm 149 acres. In a related note, before additional tiling is installed on the farmland, a topographic survey will be conducted this fall. 

The next meeting of the IVCC board is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12.