New Recreation Center for LWSRA Underway

The $4.5 Million, 17,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in 2014. The new building is expected to include a wheelchair accessible gymnasium and softball field, teaching kitchen, therapy garden, classrooms and office space," the Chicago Tribune reports.

Last summer, the village board approved an updated site plan and building code waiver to assist the Lincoln-Way Special Recreation Association in its plan to construct a two-story, 23,000-square-foot recreation center on Heather Glen Drive, near the Jewel-Osco store along Laraway Road.

In an attempt to cut costs for a project overseen by architects, Olivieri Brothers, Inc. of Frankfort, architect Christopher Algmin stated in a letter to the village that the plan had been altered.

Olivieri Brothers had been asked to cut a significant portion of the costs without affecting program spaces to still qualify for the $2.5 million PARC (Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act) grant, according to Algmin.

LWSRA serves residents with disabilities living in Frankfort, Manhattan, Mokena, New Lenox, Peotone and Wilmington Island.

The organization recently hosted two fundraisers to support recreational services for people living with disabilities. The Walk n' Roll-a-Thon benefit was held April 28 to support both The Field of Dreams, a multi-sports field for individuals with disabilities.

On May 3 a team of basketball players from the New Lenox Fire Protection District played the LWSRA team, the Rolling Falcons, to raise funds.

Readers might like:

• LWSRA Walk n' Roll-a-Thon 5K Race and Benefit is April 28

• Wheelchair Basketball to Benefit Lincolnway Spec. Rec. Assoc.

For more information about the LWSRA, visit the website here.

Get news alerts and Facebook updates from these Lincoln-Way Patch sites:

• New Lenox newsletter and New Lenox Patch Facebook

• Frankfort newsletter and Frankfort Patch Facebook

• Mokena newsletter and Mokena Patch Facebook