St. Charles Park District begins Norris Recreation Center revival
The final days of the not-for-profit organization that ran the John B. Norris Recreation Center for more than 30 years ended quietly this summer. And now St. Charles park and school district staff are hoping to elevate the profile of the beleaguered facility.
"As a not-for-profit entity, the Norris Recreation Center no longer exists," Seth Chapman, the school district's chief financial officer, announced Thursday night.
An outside audit of the final books kept by the not-for-profit showed the facility's fiscal year ended with about $13,000 more expenses than revenues and only $50,000 in savings. School district officials worried the facility would close its books as much as $48,000 in the red.
"For a while there, we were a little nervous," Chapman said. "But they still came in at the end of the year in the black."
The tight financial margins the facility operated with under the not-for-profit are a big part of why school board members decided to bring in the park district to manage the facility in a vote last November. The park district's takeover began on July 1. A new website, norrisrec.org, followed soon after. A push for corporate memberships and new memberships will begin in earnest with an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Oct. 1.
Minutes from recent St. Charles Park District board meetings show the plan is to bring the recreation center up to the same standards of all the other park district facilities, even though the school district will retain ownership of the building. The opening weeks saw a new front desk area, painting and abundant signage reflecting the park district's assumption of the management. Discussions are underway with the school district to address parking, handicap access and fans for locker rooms. There are other kinks to work out regarding the mingling of high school students with outside adult members in the locker rooms and school district staff sneaking into the rec center without paying.
Chapman said school district staff are happy with the work the park district has already completed.
"All indications are things are going well there," Chapman said. "The facility itself is looking great. We are very optimistic that this will be a good partnership."
The partnership currently exists on a one-year trial contract. The goal is to have a financially successful first year that would translate into a multiyear management agreement with the park district.
Chapman also announced that the aquatics facility is now also its own separate entity. That entity has now contracted with the park district for management of the pool. The pool is the home of the school district's swim team.
"It's not like they have complete autonomy, but we do not have a direct relationship, contractually, with the aquatics at this time," Chapman said.