New Oswegoland Park District Administration Center to take shape starting next month

Oswegoland Park District’s new administration and operations center will begin to take shape in September.

The new center will replace the recently demolished 14,453-square-foot building, which was built in 1974 as a John Deere dealership facility and acquired by the district in 1986. Plans are to build a smaller, more efficient 11,000-square-foot administration building and a new 15,000-square-foot park maintenance and operations building on the site.

By next month, the new administration center’s roof and walls will be going up and the operations’ pre-engineered building will also be under construction. The goal is for the new administration and operations building to be completed by April 2025.

Oswegoland Park Board commissioners were updated about the project during their recent board meeting.

“We’re going to make our administration center a little bit smaller and we’re going to upsize our operations facility that services all of our 66 parks and playgrounds and the 1,200 acres of natural area,” Oswegoland Park District Executive Director Tom Betsinger had said in talking about the project. “A little bit larger operations center helps our fleet, our trucks and our guys who are out servicing the parks and the playgrounds and the trails.”

Rehabbing the building proved not to be an option.

“We looked at if we could rehab and refresh it, and once you get through all of bringing this building up to code, it is more cost effective to knock it down and build a smaller, more efficient administrative center on the same site,” Betsinger said.

Expanded parking also is part of the project.

In February, Park Board commissioners unanimously approved an 18-month lease agreement for the use of the village of Montgomery’s former public works facility at 891 Knell Road, Montgomery. The Park District will pay $8,953.10 a month in rent, including utilities.

Chad Feldotto, the district’s director of parks and planning, told commissioners the 9,400-square-foot facility offers a base for the district’s fleet mechanic, offices for two park supervisors, some external and interior storage, park operation staff parking and access to fuel pumps.

The Montgomery Village Board approved the lease agreement at its Feb. 12 meeting.

Oswegoland Park Board commissioners also approved three other lease agreements for space that is needed until the project’s completion.