PEORIA, Ill. – Major improvements are being planned for one of Peoria’s more well-known facilities.
The Peoria Park District is planning numerous upgrades to Owens Center, at an estimated cost of $18-20 million.
Executive Director Emily Cahill says the main project will be replacing the ice plant. She says the project must be done due to changing federal regulations on refrigeration systems and how to keep the ice cool.
Cahill tells WMBD’s “The Phil Luciano Show” that the ice plant will only be about half the cost of the six month project. She says with the ice plant down, the park district will use the opportunity to work on other projects and upgrades at Owens Center.
“It’s an investment that we know is necessary to stay competitive, but also to meet the changing needs of our user groups,” Cahill said.
Cahill says other planned upgrades include the locker rooms, adding a women’s locker room, adding four new locker rooms, bathrooms and showers, the concession area, and parking lot access and drop-off spaces.
Cahill says the park district will fund most of the project with bonds and borrowing money, with using future revenues to pay it back.
The anticipation is for the project to start in March of 2028, with Cahill saying it will take the park district about a year to receive the equipment for the ice plant upgrades after ordering it.
A public forum will take place on July 7th at 5:30 P.M. at Owens Center to discuss the upgrades.
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