Libertyville soccer complex to replace portable toilets

After 20 years, indoor plumbing will debut at the Libertyville Township Soccer Complex.

"The constituents are very happy, especially the moms," said Michael Zovistoski, executive director of the Greater Libertyville Soccer Association, the heaviest user of the complex on Winchester Road east of Route 45.

Actual restrooms with running water are a key feature of a new building under construction at the complex, which opened in 1994 and currently is set up for 26 fields.

Also included in the roughly 4,000-square-foot building is a concession area and office space. Public restrooms will replace 20 portable toilets rented for bigger tournaments and provide an updated, heated and cooled concession area as well as on site rather than rented office space.

"Our biggest concern was bathrooms. This is the first time we'll have running water and real bathrooms," said Dan Herchenbach, grounds supervisor for the Libertyville Township Soccer Complex Ltd.

That entity has agreements with the township and village regarding the development and operation of the facility, which needed to be modified to allow the group to upgrade water and sewer services for the $600,000 project.

The township board approved changes to the agreement last week and Libertyville trustees will vote Tuesday on what is regarded as a routine change.

"The soccer moms have been asking for this since I've been around," Herchenbach said.

Whether the restrooms will be ready for the big Memorial Cup tournament May 23-26 is undetermined. The event, one of four tournaments held during the season at the outdoor complex, is expected to attract about 380 teams, according to Herchenbach.

"It's about 27,000 people roughly. It brings in about $3.4 million to the local economy."

The complex is owned by the township and licensed to the soccer group. The original agreement allowed for village services to be extended without requiring the property be annexed.

Zovistoski described the new building as a "big step" but said it was not precipitated by a particular circumstance.

"They'd been talking about it for year several years," he said of the governing board. "It was just a natural progression."

Soccer's popularity has grown steadily and the complex is "very highly used," Zovistoski said. He added that the competitive program, in which local teams play others in the Chicago area, has grown from 30 teams 10 years ago to 57.

"So many people use that facility - thousands of kids each season. To have washroom facilities out there is great," said Kathleen O'Connor, Libertyville Township supervisor.