Batavia Park District Shares Site Location For Proposed Facility

BATAVIA, IL — Batavia Park District announced Wednesday the proposed site location for the Batavia Activity & Recreation Center (BARC). According to a release from Batavia Park District, the location of the proposed 65,100 square-foot facility would be in the Fox Valley Business Park, located off Route 25 (River Street) at the corner of Belleview Lane and Oswalt Avenue in Batavia. The park district added that the Illinois Prairie Path runs adjacent to the site, and will therefore make it easy to connect to the Fox River Trail in the future.

According to the park district, the BARC would include the following amenities:

• Eight-lane indoor pool, with new child care service and a birthday party room
• Multi-plex area to include Indoor Turf & MAC Gymnasium (multi-activity courts)
• Indoor walking/running track
• Wellness area with group fitness space and cardio equipment
• Warming kitchen to accommodate tournaments and renters
• Multi-purpose rooms for programs and rentals
• Common space with family and café seating

The park district said it's placing a $27,140,000 bond referendum on the March 17 election day ballot to "acquire the land, build, and equip an indoor recreational center."

If passed, the bond referendum would result in an annual tax increase of $59.38 per $100,000 of assessed home value for a period of 20 years, the park district said, adding that this total breaks down to roughly $5 per month or $1.14 per week.

Several residents asked great questions on the park district's Facebook page after news of the proposed site location was announced, and inquired about future dates for the BARC. According to the park district, ground breaking is anticipated during spring 2021, with doors opening in two to three years, if the referendum is passed.

The public is invited to attend the upcoming information meetings scheduled for 7 p.m., Feb. 5, in the Civic Center Bart Room, 327 W. Wilson; 10 a.m., Feb. 8, at the Eastside Community Center’s Shannon Hall, 14 N. Van Buren Street; and 7 p.m., March 3, at the Peg Bond Center, 151 N. Island Avenue.

For more details and information on upcoming public meetings visit bataviaparks.org.