Dixon Park District to issue $2 million in bonds for new facility

DIXON – The Dixon Park District took the first step in issuing $2 million in bonds to help fund a facility that could become a community center in the future.

It would be a “Phase 1″ building including two gyms, a community room, and administrative offices, in order to increase programming and give a foundation for a potential community center.

District Executive Director Duane Long said the facility would be built next to the Water Wonderland parking lot. Costs could be around $2 million to $3 million, but there’s not a hard construction estimate at this point.

The plan is to secure $2 million in general obligation bonds, $700,000 the city has agreed to contribute and funding from a private entity, which is yet to be identified.

The bonds will be paid back across 25 years, and there won’t be any tax increase to fund them, Long said. The Park Board began the bonding process this week, and it will likely wrap up in June.

Interest rates are low because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the district will be able to afford payments through its operating budget.

Construction could start as early as spring 2022.

“Everything is falling into place,” Long said. “The community has tried several times for a community center and failed every time; so far, we’re on track to be successful.”

The No. 1 goal is to secure funding, and the hope is that more details will be released in a month or so, Long said.

“Our hearts and minds are working on this, and we’re happy, anxious and nervous,” he said.

The district has been gathering plans during the last few years on how to fund a community center, and they will eventually pursue a referendum in the next few years to expand district taxing boundaries from the city limits to the School District lines, but those plans are on hold, especially because of the hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Partnerships will also include the Dixon Family YMCA and the School District.

Extending the taxing boundaries would bring in more than $900,000 a year, which would be needed to fund a larger-scale facility.

The proposed building would open up youth programming and rentable event space for parties, weddings and conferences.

They would also sell their current office at 804 Palmyra St. after the facility is built.