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The Crawford County Recreation Center and Illinois Eastern Community College finalized the terms for the transfer of funds to start construction on a new recreation center on the campus of Lincoln Trail College. Construction work on the new facility will begin in the early spring and is expected to be completed by late 2022.
“This is very exciting,” said CCRC president Bill Sandiford. “This has been a grassroots effort for several years and now we’re moving forward with the project.”
IECC has contracted with CDI as the design-build firm for the project. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with CDI on this project,” said Dr. Ryan Gower, IECC Chancellor. “Rick, Kyle and Evan [Harruff] have a proven track record and have built amazing facilities in our area.” The Terre Haute, Ind.-based firm is no stranger to projects on college campuses. Their work includes buildings at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Indiana State University. They’ve also worked on other commercial, municipal, and industrial projects throughout Eastern Illinois and Central Indiana.
“This is the largest construction project on Lincoln Trail College’s campus since 1975,” said Dr. Zahi Atallah, LTC President. “There is no question this project will enhance the quality of life for residents of our local communities and greatly enhance LTC’s campus.”
The new recreation center will connect with the Roland-Nicholas Natatorium, which is currently being renovated to include things like a climate-controlled party room, restrooms, and a changing area. The rec center will tie in on the west side of the building. Once complete, the indoor pool will be a part of the new facility, which will be operated independently of the college itself.
“This facility is going to be much more than just a gym,” said Sandiford. “This is going to be a place for people of all ages to come and enjoy. We’re going to offer recreational programming that fits the needs of our members from children to senior citizens.”
The recreation center will offer a community atmosphere for members where they will be able to enjoy innovative fitness and recreation programs. “We plan to offer programs like dance, yoga, spinning, aerobics, water aerobics, youth sports, adult sports leagues, SilverSneakers, and healthy eating courses, just to name a few,” said Sandiford.
The recreation center will also include a large space for free weights and strength equipment, a cycling studio, and cardio equipment such as bikes, treadmills, and rowers. In addition, there will be a child watch area for members where they can safely leave their children while they exercise or take classes. That area can also be used for summer camps and before and after-school programming. There will also be a multisport court that can be used for basketball, tennis, pickleball, and volleyball.
“One of the things we’re very excited about is the indoor track,” said Sandiford. “This will give people a place to go to walk and jog all year long, no matter what the weather is like outside.”
“Once construction begins, this project will move quickly,” said Atallah. “We’re planning to break ground in the early spring of 2022 and CDI says the project will be complete late in the year. We could start occupying the building by December of next year.”
The CCRC has been raising funds for the project, which will be turned over to IECC for the construction. “There is still some fundraising to do,” said John Brooks, who serves on the CCRC Board. “We’ve raised funds to cover about 80-to-85 percent of the project. We’re excited that we’re at the point where we can move into the construction phase of the project.”
Sandiford said that the CCRC has received tremendous support from the community as well as local businesses and industries. “When we started this project, we wanted to do something to enhance the quality of life in Crawford County. This is a great place to live already, but we have heard from businesses and industries that they’ve had trouble recruiting and retaining employees. We believe that the recreation center will be a cornerstone piece to help attract and keep people here.”
