Rededication Ceremony of the Joseph R. Susnig Center this Saturday
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As part of the City’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, increased recreational opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages are a key priority. The Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for providing both youth and adult programs to the community. In addition to City residents, services extend to regional participants of all ages in neighboring Jersey, Greene, Calhoun, and Macoupin counties.
The Joseph R. Susnig Center, located at 401 Mound Street, was constructed in 1980 and served the community well for over 40 years, but was in need of improvements and upgrades to serve present-day needs. In addition, the Susnig Center enjoys a long-standing partnership with the Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC), which assists with rehabilitation activities for the developmentally disabled, a head-start program, as well as a number of senior citizen programs. With a combination of a $450,000 grant through the IDNR Park and Recreational Facility Construction (PARC) grant program, a $100,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), $150,000 from Jersey County for generator improvements, $360,000 in financial assistance from IVEDC for building/parking lot upgrades, numerous private donations, and City of Jerseyville funding, major improvements at the Susnig Center have recently been completed – a new gym floor striped for both basketball and pickleball, new ADA-compliant bleachers and restroom facilities, portable basketball goals, upgraded weight room and cardio facilities, upgraded office space, HVAC upgrades, new vestibule/waiting area, a new roof over the dining hall area of the adjoining Senior Center, a new roof over the IVEDC workshop area, drainage improvements and resurfacing of parking lot facilities, exterior painting/cosmetic improvements, new playground for IVEDC Head-Start, and parking lot expansion for IVEDC Rural Transit bus program. In addition, the City added retractable nets to enable the City to offer indoor baseball and softball facilities in the multi-purpose gym area, as well as indoor golf. These improvements will provide increased recreational opportunities for the community for many years into the future. A final project aspect included the addition of a generator and related electrical improvements through a grant-funded partnership with Jersey County, that will allow the Susnig Center to serve as a community cooling/warming center in times of natural disasters.
Prime construction contracts were completed by a number of local contractors – Jun Construction, Glandt Roofing, Stutz Excavating, John Beal Roofing, Utilitra, Loellke Plumbing, and Pointer Electric –in addition to numerous sub-contractors. Interior artwork was completed by Laura Fallin. Benton &Associates provided outside consulting engineering and grant administration services for the INDR-funded project. Heneghan & Associates provided surveying and consulting engineering services related to the drainage/parking lot improvements.
According to Zach Crawford, Commissioner of Public Property, “the Susnig facility has served our youth and adults for many years, for a variety of sports activities and other recreation functions. This project allowed us to complete some much-needed upgrades and safety improvements, and add some new recreation offerings along the way, such as indoor batting practice and pickleball. The grant dollars we were able to obtain allowed us to significantly reduce the City’s cost-share. We will continue to look for ways to improve both indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities for all ages.”
This is a positive time for parks and recreation in Jerseyville, as the City recently awarded a splash pad and community building project at the Lion’s Club Park, utilizing IDNR OSLAD and American Water Charitable Foundation grant funds. This follows other recent upgrades at Lion’s Club Park consisting of outdoor basketball and pickleball courts, a new outdoor fitness court, and related parking and lighting improvements. Mayor Kevin Stork stated, “our capital improvement program touches all areas of the City, from downtown re-development to infrastructure needs to parks and recreation. Our long-range planning efforts and our vision for the future allow the City, and more importantly its employees, to have a plan to execute on a day-to-day basis. The new features added to the parks have provided fitness opportunities for all ages. We have also witnessed increased economic development through the use of City facilities by visitors. This helps our local businesses while also providing the City with increased sales tax revenue. The use of grant funding enables our limited City tax dollars to go much further, as the costs of improvements continues to rise dramatically.”
The City Council meets every two weeks throughout the year, and consists of Mayor Kevin Stork, and Commissioners Zach Crawford, John Miles, Steve Pohlman, and Tony Steckel.
Join the City of Jerseyville and the Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department to celebrate the revitalization of the Susnig Center and the completion of these much-needed improvements. There will be a grand re-opening event at the facility on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 8:00-10:00AM, with a ribbon cutting and rededication comments at 9:00AM. Light refreshments will be served, and the Center will be open to explore. The event is free and open to the public. Come see the improvements, meet fellow community members and celebrate this exciting milestone!
Please contact Jerseyville Parks and Recreation with any questions: (618) 498-2222.
