St. Charles leaders tout accomplishments, share challenges at State of the City address

Leaders from the city of St. Charles, as well as its schools, parks and library, gave a 90-minute presentation during a recent St. Charles Chamber of Commerce State of the City address.

Speaking to about 100 attendees at the Hilton Garden Inn on Oct. 8, leaders described the successes and challenges of maintaining St. Charles as The Pride of the Fox.

Mayor Clint Hull spoke about the future of the Charlestowne Mall.

“It is a very, very … difficult project,” Hull said. “And it doesn’t scare us away. … We continue to meet with the owners. … This is not something that’s going to get done in six months. It’s not something that’s probably going to be done in a year.”

Economic Development Director Derek Conley said the problem is the 5-mile radius from the mall, which is largely closed except for the movie theater, requires a larger population.

That population is just under 108,000, while the 5-mile radius around other malls — such as Gurnee Mills — is 150,000, Conley said.

This is due in part to the Kane County Forest Preserve and the DuPage Airport being nearby.

“It’s a math problem,” Hull said. “Businesses are not going to come because of the 107,000 (population). … We may want these things, but the reality of how to get a developer to come to St. Charles to do it, is different.”

St. Charles also is challenged by what to do with the former police station at 10 State Ave., now that a new station has been built at 1515 W. Main St.

“We can afford to take our time and develop it in the right way,” Conley said.

The dam

City Administrator Heather McGuire spoke about the Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois Department of Natural Resources proposals to remove the Fox River’s dams.

McGuire said the Corps and the state are looking for a letter of support from the city just to engage in environmental assessments of the river and the dam.

“Many of you may have seen those riverboats out there. They are collecting samples, trying to assess the sediment levels in the dam to determine, if the dam is removed, where does that sediment go?” McGuire said. “Is it contaminated and how does that impact the health of the river?”

The IDNR does not want to own the dam anymore, but it cannot be removed without the city’s consent, McGuire said.

The sediment analysis likely will extend to 2027, when the state will expect some sort of commitment from the city, she said.

St. Charles Park District

St. Charles Park District Director of Parks and Recreation Holly Cabel described the advances the district made with successful state grants, one of them $750,000 from the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grant for an agricultural lab at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road.

“Primrose Farm, before center was built, had no indoor temperature controls, no programmable space,” Cabel said.

Now supported by the matching state grant, Primrose Farm has offices, a demonstration kitchen, restrooms and hosts farm-to-table classes, field trips and food education.

A $600,000 grant from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will fund renovations at East Side Sports Complex, 3565 Legacy Blvd.

“Improvements included three pickleball courts, an adult fitness course and a hiking trail … renovated tennis courts … and accessible ramps to the baseball fields,” Cabel said.

Elgin Community College

Elgin Community College Marketing Director Ashley Zeman said the college district, which serves a portion of St. Charles, offers 120 degree and certificate programs.

“ECC is the place if you live in St. Charles,” Zeman said.

In addition to its main campus in Elgin, it also has a center for emergency services training in Burlington where future police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians can start their careers.

The community college also expects to open its 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and technology center next fall.