Ottawa City Council takes steps toward new sports complex

The Ottawa City Council on Tuesday night voted in a positive manner for two measures that could bring a new sports complex to the city.

The council first approved a resolution in support of the Ottawa Community Park Land Acquisition Project, a move that would allow the city to seek a state Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant similar to the ones it already has received to use at Thornton and Allen parks. The new grant, if approved by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, would help the city purchase the land for a new recreation sports complex.

Second, the council approved a concept plan for what Commissioner Marla Pearson said would be a sports complex, although she could not say specifically what sports would be involved.

This would be a completely new park and wouldn’t be an add-on. It’s not near any other park, though we can’t say where just yet.”

—  Marla Pearson, Ottawa commissioner

Mayor Robb Hasty said the grant application would involve multiple properties covering as many as 70 acres, land the city has not yet acquired.

“We are going to submit a request for this OSLAD grant again to help us acquire land for a future sports complex,” Pearson said. “This would be a completely new park and wouldn’t be an add-on. It’s not near any other park, though we can’t say where just yet.”

Pearson also reported that the newly renovated Peck Park was “very busy” after opening last Friday, but added the park will be closed for 48 hours this week to allow some concrete near one of the new features to completely cure.

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Peck Park at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Pearson also said the work at Allen Park is “coming along, too” and is almost finished. A ribbon-cutting for that totally revamped venue is scheduled for late September or early October, she said.

In other action, the council:

• authorized an agreement with La Salle County 708 Community Mental Health Board for the use of North Central Area Transit to transports its clients.
• held a public hearing, at which there was no comment, and later approved an annexation agreement with Craig and Barbara Godwin for their property at 2223 Caton Road. City attorney Christina Cantlin said the annexation agreement takes effect once the property is made contiguous to the city.
• affirmed the Ottawa Zoning Board’s recommendation for rezoning the property at 529 W. Lafayette St., going from residential to commercial.