*photo is a Jan. 2019 document that kickstarted the St. Joseph Community Sports Complex vision. It is not a final document.
BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
What’s the next move for St. Joseph?
Jim Page and a committee of four volunteers are looking into how the development of the St. Joseph Community Sports Complex could impact the village.
Over the last year, Page has worked on a “living document” that eventually will set a clear vision for the 34-acre park located on the east side of town.
He knows that vision should not only be his, the committee’s or that of the Village staff and board, though. Earlier this week, Page sent out a survey to collect feedback on a Community Center in order to begin the discussion.
“We want to gauge the support for engaging in the process to begin with,” Page said. “If there is significant push back on the concept, we need to understand what it is in order to be successful.
“We are also looking to see if there are ideas that the citizens may have to offer that never occurred to us. “
The committee is also touring other community buildings throughout the region to see how they are laid out, how much they cost to operate and to pick the brains of the owners to see what they missed or would do differently.
Once the survey and the tours are done, the committee will produce a report for the Village of St. Joseph to help guide the necessary next steps.
Page said discussions about financing have not taken place, either at the committee level or at the Village board level.
“Our operating philosophy is that we are researching what the citizens want, what can reasonably be built, what that would look like and get a preliminary cost estimate from professionals,” he said.
“Once we have reached that stage, then the discussion about paying for it will fall to the Village Board.
“I am convinced that by further developing the Community Park including the expansion of facilities and the addition of a community building will attract money to St. Joseph from the surrounding area,” Page said.
“Increased activity there would also increase motor fuel tax receipts, sales taxes and other secondary fiscal advantages to the Village. This also includes the money that is currently spent by St. Joseph residents at other community centers in the area staying home in the first place.
“I believe that the community building will make sufficient funds to keep it maintained and managed; hopefully, arranged so that its existence is not a burden on the Village.”
While the Village has not been involved in the process, Page has updated the Village throughout the year at public meetings. They have been assisting with the efforts, but citizens are the ones leading the efforts.
At this point, gathering information about the community center is the only task the committee has.
Part of the overall plan for the park includes sidewalks or multi-purpose paths like a one-mile walking path around the park and a finished path from the park to the future extension of the Kickapoo Bike Trail.
Page applied for the Open Space and Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant, but the Village did not receive it. Instead, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) told the group that the Bike Path Grant would be much more applicable.
The Village of St. Joseph Board of Trustees voted on Jan. 14 to proceed with the application.
“Other than the Kickapoo Rail Trail, there is not much of a dedicated trail system in St. Joseph,” Page said.
“However, I feel it would be nice to start developing a trail system in St. Joseph to keep kids and walkers from sharing the roadway with vehicles.”
Page encourages those who want to volunteer or offer suggestions to contact him.
“There is always some work to be done,” he said.
