District 41 plans forum on land acquisition

Glen Ellyn Elementary District 41 officials will sponsor a community forum this week to discuss plans to acquire a 15-acre parcel owned by Wheaton College on the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton border.

The school district is considering the site at 1825 College Ave. for a new junior high school, but the college has said the land isn’t for sale.

District 41 officials have indicated they could pursue eminent domain proceedings to acquire the land. Both sides have argued they would have a strong case if the matter went to court.

School district officials say the land is the best spot available to build a new school that is beeded to help reduce overcrowding at existing schools.

The college currently uses a building on the site for faculty art studios, a campus maintenance workshop, warehouse storage for library archives and equipment, and the Community School of the Arts. Not-for-profit Christian ministries also lease space from the college. The fields are used for sports team practices and intramurals.

College officials say their plans for the land could include undergraduate and graduate academic use, athletic facilities and student housing.

The forum is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hadley Junior High School library, 240 Hawthorne Blvd.