With the District 91 school board still uncertain about the future use of its largely empty Grant-White School, a prime suitor for repurposing the Randolph Street school has now pulled back and made its own plan to expand programs.
The Park District of Forest Park wanted a long-term lease — at least 30 years — for the school building, with plans to use it in part to expand its oversubscribed day camp programs for children. The school system still isn’t clear on how best to use the building and was only open to a far shorter lease.
Now the park district will begin planning to substantially expand its Roos Recreation Center on the east end of its Harrison Street campus. When it was built in 2018, the 15,000-square-foot Roos was widely expected to be undersized but the district spent the money it had earmarked from state grants and money it had put in reserves.
The demand for Roos memberships almost immediately doubled expectations — 900 vs. 400 sign-ups — makes the expansion plan no surprise. The district is currently meeting with multiple architects to scope out the options and likely costs.
We are a bit surprised that the park district seems to have set aside plans to construct a new indoor facility on property it acquired with fanfare on the south side of Harrison Street just a couple of years ago. For now, that site will remain as welcome green space.
At some point, D91 will need to settle on a plan for Grant-White. Presumably, village government is still interested in a short-term deal to relocate some programs from the community center as it comes to terms with fixes needed to that site.
We’ve always been impressed by the modern-but-not-cold design of the Roos. We look forward to seeing plans for its expansion and the plan to pay for it.
A new superintendent
A year ago, Proviso Township voters reconstituted the school board of District 209 Proviso high schools. In our estimation, voters narrowly returned the divided board to a reform-minded majority. When a few months later, that board bounced the divisive James Henderson as superintendent, we cheered that decision as the essential step to restoring some hope in this long-troubled district.
We wondered then just who would apply for this job. It is no plum, but there is nowhere to go but up.
This week the school board may well announce its choice from among three more-than-credible finalists. In the least surprising news of the day, Arbdella Patterson, a board member is demanding a do-over in the search. A ridiculous notion.
Time for D209 to install a new leader with a clear focus on students, a desire for collaboration, and an ego that is under control.
