Arrest leaves Elgin rec center reeling
Elgin leaders Friday promised a comprehensive look at the east-side Elgin Recreation Center after a city-employed gang intervention specialist who worked there was arrested on federal drug conspiracy charges.
In the meantime, the facility, also known as God's Gym, which serves as a healthy haven for area kids and offers an alternative to gangs, has temporarily been closed.
"We will reopen it. It's just going to be in what type of context," Elgin spokeswoman Susan Olafson said. "We're evaluating that right now. Everything needs to be looked at very carefully."
Thursday, Angel L. Vega, 47, of Lowrie Court, was one of nine people arrested by the FBI and Elgin police after an investigation that began in the summer of 2006.
Vega is accused of being part of a cocaine ring and is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago on $75,000 bond. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of drug conspiracy charges.
Olafson said Vega began working part time for the city in March 2000 and earned full-time status in December 2004. His final yearly salary was $47,000.
Vega was fired Thursday, along with center Program Supervisor Joel Perez, who earned a yearly salary of $71,000 and had been employed by the city since 1996.
Both men passed criminal background checks and drug screens before being hired.
Perez, also co-founder of God's Gym, is not charged with any criminal wrong doing, but city officials said he was being held accountable.
Olafson said city officials felt embarrassed, stunned and betrayed by the allegations against Vega.
"The entire city of Elgin is terribly disappointed. There's a lot of anger that this happened," Olafson said. "It wasn't in the best interests of the city to continue (Perez's) employment here."
According to its Web site, the original God's Gym was founded in 1984 in the basement of Templo Calvario by Perez and his father.
Their goal was to "create a safe environment for people to get healthy, and discover positive life strategies," the Web site said.
Over the years, the program grew stronger and eventually the Elgin Recreation Center, a not-for-profit umbrella group, was formed.
Along with an affordable gym, the facility at 1080 E. Chicago St. was the base for youth soccer teams, boxing exhibitions, after-school tutoring programs and lectures from former gang members about why the straight and narrow path is best.
The center's abrupt closing left area service agencies scrambling to fill the void.
Lynne Bosley, president of the United Way of Elgin, said the group has ceased its $65,000-a-year funding for the center's after-school tutoring program and a program to help juvenile offenders learn skills. United Way leaders are working with other groups to continue center programs elsewhere.
"People are working as hard and as fast as we can to determine what to do next to ensure service continues," Bosley said. "This is a huge blow to this community, the United Way, the city and all the people involved with the Elgin Recreation Center."