Community center offers 'something for everyone'

The residents of Rolling Meadows joined efforts with their park district, city, school district and neighbors to obtain a new community center.

By Rudolph E. Nelson

On Oct. 18 of last year, the Rolling Meadows Park District culminated more than three years of concerted effort by dedicating our new community center. The community center is a truly broad-based recreational facility. It serves people of all ages (from infants to senior citizens), with varied interests (from athletic pursuits to cultural endeavors) and with special needs.

Within the approximately 50,000 square feet of the center exists a comprehensive senior citizens center (14,000 square feet), the new home of the Northwest Special Recreation Association (13,000 square feet), the general community program center (18,000 square feet), and the administrative and recreation offices (5,000 square feet).

The senior center includes a general lounge area, television lounge, library, banquet room, game room, card room, craft room, wood-working room, an education room, an outdoor patio and office space. The special recreation center includes both programming rooms and an office area. The community center also boasts a special preschool complex, a gymnasium, an auditorium, a crafts room, a dance room, two multipurpose program rooms, a conference room, a Board room, and the park district's offices.

The community center represents the combined efforts of several local

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governmental units, the local business community, local service organizations and many active individuals. The work began in January, 1981 when Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education chose to close the Jonas E. Salk Elementary School. The park district began an exhaustive study into the potential use of the site. An attitude and interest survey was conducted throughout the community. Local non-profit and affiliate organizations were interviewed about their possible interests and needs. Other local units of government were also contacted and surveyed. Finally, the recreation staff developed a comprehensive program of use for the facility. Having determined a need for a community center and plan of use, the administrative staff and the Board of Park Commissioners developed an affordable, feasible financial plan for the acquisition, development and operation of a community center.

The first step in the financial plan required the acquisition of the site at little or no cost until the development of the building and surrounding lands was complete and financed. This was accomplished after 12 months of negotiations with Community Consolidated School District 15. In July, 1983, we obtained a five-year lease at $1 per year with an option of another five-year lease under the same terms. In return for the free use of the site, the park district agreed to maintain, improve and utilize for community programming the land and building. In order to fully utilize the 10-year period, it was agreed that the lease would begin on July 1, 1984, allowing one year for renovating and improving the site. In order to provide future protection for the park district, a separate agreement was reached giving the park district the option to purchase the property at any time within the lease period. The negotiated amount could not exceed $650,000 within the first five-year period, and $750,000 during the next five-year period. With the acquisition of the site completed, the park district turned its attention to renovating the building.

In July, 1983, the park district hired the architectural firm of Hundriser-Gutowsky & Associates, Inc., of Arlington Heights to develop plans for the building's renovation. A negotiated sale of non-referendum bonds for $1,100,000 was made with Columbian Securities Inc., of Chicago to finance the renovation. The park district entered into a cooperative agreement in November, 1983, with the City of Rolling Meadows to provide a center within the building for the senior population. As part of this agreement, the city pledged $76,000 toward the renovation and agreed to assist in the development by waiving all building and permit fees for the

The community center includes a Board room (top), conference facilities (center), and a lounge (bottom).

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park district. On its part, the park district agreed to provide a center for the seniors and to provide its operating costs. Later that month the park district hired the firm of Alton United, Inc., Niles, to renovate the building. Construction began in December, 1983.

The next step was to provide funds to equip and operate the building. As a member of the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA), the Rolling Meadows Park District has been aware of the recreational needs of our handicapped population. As part of our commitment to servicing these needs the park district entered into an agreement with NWSRA in April, 1984, to provide approximately 13,000 square feet of space for the Association's services. The space was offered rent-free with NWSRA responsible for its special renovation requirements and operational costs.

As is the case in most projects of this size, we were not completely successful in all our efforts. The park district attempted to reach an agreement with the Palatine Township Board of Trustees to provide a jointly-operated senior center which would serve the entire township. This cooperative agreement would not have increased the township's allocation at the time but it would have dramatically increased its ability to provide senior services. The agreement received the endorsements of the Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council, Palatine Township Seniors Advisory Committee, Palatine Township League of Women Voters and local press. Despite all of this support, the Palatine Township Trustees rejected the agreement. At this point, the park district turned to its increased programming abilities and senior center membership dues to provide the funding for the center's operating costs.

To generate funds to equip the building, the park district looked to the private sector and local service organizations for assistance. The Hon. William D. Ahrens, mayor of Rolling Meadows, spearheaded a fundraising drive which received donations in excess of $54,000 from private business. Local service organizations contributed an additional $10,000 to the park district. The Rolling Meadows Library agreed to establish a satellite site at the center providing books, periodicals, and furnishings. With this support, the park district was able to equip the building without putting an unreasonable strain on its operating budget.

The center is now in full swing. The cooperation which made this project possible continues. New individuals, businesses and organizations are joining this effort, thus ensuring its continued growth and development. The center has clearly demonstrated the positive results which can be achieved when local governments cooperate and the community-at-large is included in a worthwhile project.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rudolph E. Nelson is the director of parks and recreation at the Rolling Meadows Park District.

Study says kids need more exercise

Youngsters today are fatter than their counterparts of 20 years ago and aren't getting enough exercise, according to Jim Ross, project director of the National Children and Youth Fitness Study recently completed for the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

"Kids are a lot fatter today than they were in the '60s," said Ross during the National Recreation and Park Association's Congress for Recreation and Parks last October in Orlando, FL, where the study's findings were released. "They don't weigh any more; they are just carrying more fat."

The study tested 10,000 youngsters in grades five through 12 for cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, participation in physical fitness activities, upper body strength and weight control.

Funded by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the $455,000 study is the most extensive and comprehensive to be performed among American youth since the late 1960s when youngsters were tested in public schools.

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