Batavia recreational center is up to the voters

A $27 million bond referendum question on next Tuesday's ballot will ask residents to fund a new indoor recreational center in Batavia.

The Batavia Park District determined residents want and have a need for such a facility after a series of listening tours and community surveys, Katie Drum, director of marketing and public relations, said.

"But do they want to pay for it?" she said.

The proposed 65,000-square-foot facility would be located in the Fox Valley Business Park on the east side of Batavia, near Route 25 at the intersection of Belleview Lane and Oswalt Avenue.

If voters approve the proposal, the owner of a $300,000 home would see an increase in their annual tax bill of $178 for 20 years, according to the park district. That same homeowner currently pays $556 annually in property taxes to the district.

Plans for the Batavia Activity & Recreation Center include an eight-lane indoor pool with spectator viewing for 100 to 150 people. Weights and cardio strength circuit equipment will be on the upper level along with space for group fitness programs and an indoor track. An indoor 30-by-45-yard turf field will be used for sports such as soccer and football and a multi-activity court gymnasium will be available for basketball, pickleball and volleyball.

During a recent Batavia City Council meeting, park district Executive Director Allison Niemela said residents wanted a facility that would be "the heart of the community."

She said there is a lack of indoor space available to the park district and if the recreational center is built, the district plans to keep all its existing facilities.

"We are program rich but facility poor," Niemela said.

The location is close to Clark Island Recreation Area and Red Oak Nature Center, along with the Fox River Trial and the Illinois Prairie Path.

"People expressed an interest for a place where they could go from outside to inside seamlessly," Niemela said.

She said the facility was designed to be all-inclusive and for all ages.

"There's something for everyone," she said.

Users would not pay membership fees but would purchase 10-punch or seasonal passes. The prices would vary depending on the activity.

Drum said she felt the staff was able to keep the public informed and the park district and the park board gave people as much information as they needed to make a decision.

"It's not about what the park district wants," she said. "It's about what the public wants."

Drum said as it gets closer to the vote, residents are taking to social media or stopping by the civic center to get their final questions answered.

Previous referendum questions about building a recreational facility in the district failed in 2008 and 2010. Is the third time the charm?

"I don't have any idea how it's going to go," Drum said. "Flip a penny."