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Villa Park residents attended recent meetings to speak about the proposed community center at Lions Park. The park is located at 320 E. Wildwood Ave. In 2021, the village learned it would receive a $10 million grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) that could be used to pay for the construction of a new community center. Earlier this year, the Villa Park Village Board approved the issuance of up to $7.5 million in bonds to provide further funding for the proposed project. Itasca-based Williams Architects, which has worked with the Village of Villa Park since 1996, delivered presentations at the recent community input meetings at Villa Park Village Hall. The firm proposed conceptual plans that contained multiple options for a proposed center. The conceptual plans also include options for indoor and/or outdoor pools at the site. The architectural firm, which has extensive experience in designing community centers and aquatic facilities, emphasized that its plans are conceptual and nowhere near finalized. The pictured rendering shows a view of the firm’s Option 1 site plan, which proposes the construction of a community center of nearly 40,000 square feet on the south side of Lions Park. The Option 1 proposal has a total estimated project cost of $17.25 million. Representatives from Williams Architects are scheduled to speak at the upcoming Villa Park Village Board meeting on Feb. 14. Their presentation will include a summary of the input residents have expressed about the proposed project.
