Edwardsville to get $2.5 million from state for recreational center with skating rink
Edwardsville is set to receive $2.5 million from the state to build a new indoor recreation center, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced.
The 39,700-square-foot-facility is slated to be constructed near the Madison County Transit District bike trail and Governors Parkway, and will include an indoor ice-skating rink, an elevated 175-meter four lane track, and a 3,000-square-foot physical fitness center.
A new entrance road and parking lot also would be constructed, the State of Illinois said in a news release.
There also would be seating around the ice rink and locker rooms, as well as other support facilities, said Edwardsville City Administrator Kevin Head.
Head said the total development is expected to cost $8 million.
He added the plan is part of the city’s Better Place to Play initiative.
Head said there is at least a year’s worth of planning before work starts as the project would have to go through the Planning Commission and the city would need to acquire the land from the school district.
The city has been collecting pledges, but they were contingent on the city receiving the state funding. Head could not disclose how much has been pledged so far, and who has pledged dollars, but said dollars would come from corporate investment, local government and private organizations.
“I am pleased that IDNR has evaluated Edwardsville’s project application favorably and awarded the grant based on the project’s merits and significant value to the regional economy,” Mayor Hal Patton said in a news release. “Everyone working at IDNR has supported our efforts throughout this process. We are looking forward to another great project for our residents and one that will benefit the entire region.”
Head said state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, and state Sens. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, and Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon have been helpful in securing the state funding for the project.
“This grant will provide numerous recreation opportunities for residents, especially when the weather is too rainy or cold to spend time outdoors,” Crowe said. “I can’t thank our state leaders enough for being committed to creating more shared space for people to exercise while strengthening our community’s core.”
The $2.5 million grant was among the $10.1 million funding for park and recreational facilities announced Tuesday by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Money for the project comes through the Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act grant program, which helps pay for constructing or renovating public recreational buildings.
“Providing funding for local governments to construct and renovate facilities where families and individuals can enjoy recreation opportunities is a win-win for local governments and the citizens living in those communities,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan.
The park and recreational facility construction program is paid for through capital bond funds, said Rachel Torbert, a spokeswoman for IDNR. The grant was initially awarded during the 2014 fiscal year, but there was no money appropriated, Torbert said. However, the money is now available.
The community would have to spend the money up front, and then the state reimburses the city. The state typically gives two years for the community to complete a project, Torbert said.
