Arlington Heights police station community room named after former mayor

Former Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene J. Mulder was honored six years after leaving office when the community room at the new police station was named after her during an open house Saturday.

"I learned from Arlene it's all about the community," said her successor, Mayor Tom Hayes, reading a proclamation in her honor.

"There's no better place to live, raise a family and contribute to the community," Mulder said, in expressing her appreciation.

Mulder was on the park board and village board before serving as mayor for 20 years, holding public office for 34 years in all.

The room, which has a capacity of 170 people, has a vaulted ceiling and wood finishes made with 30,000 linear food of reclaimed ash, a significant amount of it from the village's parkways. It will be used for law enforcement training and as a space for community organizations to meet.

The police station, which cost $28 million and houses 139 employees, replaces one that was built more than 40 years ago. The building was designed by the Chicago firm Legat Architects and its creative director, architect Steve Blye of Arlington Heights, to complement the village hall, which opened in 2008, while meeting the needs of a modern police department. The building includes a fitness center and a firearms training simulator and range.