Wheeling Park District, village planning rec center project

For three decades, the gathering spot for Wheeling seniors has sat tucked away in a residential neighborhood.

But today's baby boomers are clamoring for a more modern home that's closer to the village's amenities.

The village's solution? Moving senior programming into the park district's Community Recreation Center on Wheeling's sprawling municipal campus off Dundee Road.

Village trustees and park district commissioners have hired an architectural consultant to help plan a proposed addition to the 77,674-square-foot rec center. Officials haven't pinpointed the scope or the cost. To narrow in on a vision, Williams Architects will study how the space can cater to a graying clientele.

"What we need to do is make sure we're serving the needs of seniors today as well as seniors 20 years from now," Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said.

Since 1985, the village's human services department has run a senior center out of a 5,670-square-foot building about a mile away from the rec center. The building has become too small and outdated for 500 members, said Shari Huizar, the head of human services.

Relocating to the municipal campus would put retirees "in the middle of everything," Huizar said. The rec center flanks the Family Aquatic Center and a performance pavilion, among other offerings.

After a move, the village's senior center at 199 N. First St. would be put up for sale. Its southwest neighbor, Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre, has expressed interest in the property.

The first study into a relocation was done in 2009 and found a move to the rec center could bring in new seniors.

This time around, the Itasca-based consultant will estimate the cost of construction.

Sfondilis "optimistically" says crews could break ground in late spring 2016, but the boards have not hired an architect for the final design or sought bids.

The firm also will look at whether the rec center is prepared to handle future demographic changes among park district regulars.

"The project in the end may become bigger than integrating the seniors into the building," Sfondilis said.

The village will pay only for costs related to a senior center move, he said. The village is splitting the $47,000 bill from Williams Architects with the park district.

The firm will give updates at joint board meetings on April 21 and June 15 and then present its findings on June 30.

Until then, architects will form focus groups and poll users of both facilities, input that will help the village and the park district create programming. The rec center already serves its own group of seniors, so officials want to avoid duplicating activities.

"That seems like a bad use of space and money and resources from both entities," Sfondilis said.