Carol Stream Park District seeks $37 million for new rec center

Carol Stream Park District officials will ask residents for $37 million to pay for a new recreation center and other park improvements.

Voters will be asked to approve a 30-year loan for the project in a referendum that will be placed on the February ballot.

Board President Dan Bird said the debt is being structured so payments do not begin for another 10 years. In the meantime, other debts are being paid off, and the net effect will be little increase in taxes.

He said the decision to seek a referendum follows months of positive feedback to its plan.

"It's, across the board, items that will help the park district," Bird said.

An owner of a home valued at $300,000 currently pays about $140 a year in park district property taxes. That total is projected to decrease to about $110 in 2020.

If voters approve the referendum in February, payments on the additional $37 million would be deferred until 2020, and then increase in direct correlation with the current debt reductions.

As a result, the increases would offset scheduled decreases and the tax rate would remain the same until at least 2030, Bird said.

The district began focus groups in May, 2008, to find out what residents wanted and thought they needed from the park district. Several public forums have been held and in May, they formed a citizen steering committee to gather input. On Oct. 26, it presented its recommendations to the board.

The recreation center would include an indoor pool and a multi-use gymnasium. Also, a new exercise gym would be available.

The recreation center's location has not been decided, although surveys have zeroed in on four locations. The preferred site at the Town Center at Lies Road and Gary Avenue, and is owned by the village of Carol Stream. Park and village officials are discussing whether Town Center land might be available for the project.

The park district has until Dec. 3 to file the referendum with the DuPage County Board of Elections.