The talk of the town in late 2007 was an ambitious plan to rethink land uses for more than 200 acres smack dab in the middle of One of the Most Desirable Places to Live on Earth. It was bounced around like a political hot potato between Naperville School District 203, the Park District and City Council before being unceremoniously dropped. What happened?
Today's Sun offers the opinion of Naperville School District 203 officials, who say it would take at least five years to work up a plan that incorporated input from people as varied as trapshooters at Sportsman's Park to green thumbs who use the garden plots to relatives visiting loved ones buried at Naperville Cemetery.
There's been virtually no public talk about the plan since D203 decided to go ahead and try to renovate Naperville Central High School rather than rebuild it, which might have entailed moving it across the street to Knoch Park.
So what about the Caroline Martin-Mitchell property? Should all of the stakeholders at least try to tackle a long-range vision for Naperville's Central Square, even if it takes five years? What creative concepts would you suggest? In your opinion, what existing uses absolutely should be saved?
The Caroline Martin-Mitchell Master Campus planning process is continuing to move forward. A public input process coordinated jointly by the City of Naperville, School District 203 and the Naperville Park District will begin in February after the School District 203 referendum has been completed, as this decision will impact planning for the area. For more information visit the project web page at http://www.naperville.il.us/mitchell.aspx.
It always takes 203 time. They had a task force two or three years ago about foreign language in the grade schools. They MIGHT have plan in three years.
See, FIVE years.
I saw a Ronald Reagan quote, "If you support high taxes, big spending, big bearacracy, then you cannot support the little guy."
The more I reflect on it, the only thing that 203 can do in less than five years is increase our taxes.
The five year comment was yet another "wing it from the hip" comment made with no data but a large dose of personal viewpoint and "feeling".
This is exsactly what we have come to expect from the 203 School Board! Why work closely with other public groups, such as parks, WHEN YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE TAXPAYERS' BANK AND TAKE MORE MONEY!
It was a stupid plan from the beginning and it died the death it deserved. Let's hope District 203 and the Park District don't come up with another boneheaded idea like that one anytime soon.
During the "Task Force" meetings, I took the time to tell Doug Wilson about a better plan.
Buy the Meijer 60 acres in Lisle (condemn if needed) and build a high school on a suitable site. Use Central for one or a combination of the following:
1. Junior high campus to replace Washington and/or Lincoln (the land from those two sites have no deed restrictions and could be sold to finance the Meijer land acquisition).
2. Junior high magnet school to relieve overcrowding at Kennedy.
3. Alternative high schools such as a math and science academy, fine arts academy or a joint venture with COD or a more prestigious local four year college like 204 and Plainfield.
As leader of the committee, this was the first that he heard of such an idea. So much for the high level of interchange on the Task Force Committee. I think Kevin H. summarizes the committee aptly, an administration dominated group that pushed their WANTS.
If any of the stake holders wanted 203 land, have them buy it so 203 could pursue alternative plans.
Dan D.
If the Meijer site was used, perhaps a deal could be made with Illinois Benedictine for use of some of their facilities such as the football stadium, basketball court, swimming pool, and soccer fields. Thus, reducing new construction costs significantly (and rental monies would certainly help the college).
Rod,
Most of the facilities you referred to were funded by the Village of Lisle. As a result, Lisle High School and Benet get reduced rates on using these facilities. I would think 203 would be granted the same status by BU/Village of Lisle.
But based on this post and the others, you are missing the boat. This is not what 203 WANTS, therefore, the taxpayers must pay for it.
The Martin Mitchell Properties should be used as the benefactor intended, not set aside for small interest groups whose use makes the land unavailable to the public (Sportsman's Club, Garden Plots and Von Oven Scout Reservation). These activities no longer represent the best and highest use of the land. The necessary renovations and expansion of NCHS will require more land just to maintain current programs. Education of our students should take priority over the current limited usage of these properties.
LTR,
Central can always expand towards the Hospital and take up that other special interest group land that direction. Students need to learn to be responsible citizens (scouting), know how to hunt (sportsman club) and cultivate food (garden plots). They do not need to know how to throw an air filled piece of animal hide or swing a piece of aluminum to help set them on the road to possible steroid use.
It appears that one can paint whatever picture they want and claim it for the 'greater good'.
Ya'll should just read the MM documents. It is pretty clear that the usage by the scouts, sportsmen's club, cemetary, etc., are the exact types of usage she intended.
There is no reason or basis to dump those programs to give more land to the school. The original allocation to a school was simple decision: there was to be only the one school and it fit in well with the other "neighbors". If the school was deemd to really need more acreage, then it should be moved to a different location (like the Meier land in Lisle)
I just want to add my thank you to all those who thanked Randy for that excellent blow by blow documentary he published yesterday. Thrilling to say the least!
I did not know so much action was taken place right here in Naperville. I thought we lived in a bedroom community till I read that documentary. It is an absolute must read!
Another idea is to move the Administration to a temporary location and then build the new school where the Admin building and football field are now. Central could borrow North's field in the meantime, just like North uses Central's pool for swim meets now. Then, when the new Central is finished, tear down the old building and put the new field over there.
Personally I support building a new school, but think the prices being thrown around are too high. We never get to see the details but I suspect there's a lot of fluff. For example, the Astroturf is ALWAYS part of the equation. I see by the District's info that it will cost $5.2M to do North's pool, parking and Astroturf. If they just do the pool, it's $3M. If the parking changes cost $500,000, which seems high, then the combined Astroturf of North and Central will cost us $3.4M!!! Has anyone seen justification for that? And yet, according to the District's information, that Astroturf is going in whether the referendum passes or not.
Also, with all the teardowns, where old homes are being replaced with expensive new ones that generate 4 to 5 times more property taxes than the old house did, it's hard to believe we need a referendum for anything.