Community Center (in Galesburg)
Background: The City closed/sold its community center (located at the old fire station on Simmons St. downtown) in 2013. The Carver Center (a community center operated by a local non-profit) burned down in 2016 and was never replaced. Upon Mayor Schwartzman election in April 2021, he began working on the creation of a new, multi-use, robust community center. This work continues. In December 2022, the majority of the siting City Councilors approved Churchill as the future site for a Galeburg community center. With the changing of the composition of the council in May 2023, the need for Task Force input was deemed necessary. In July 2023 such a Task Force (consisting of 15 community members) was assembled. Given that it is often hard to find information on this project, I decided to make a page for easy access. (Please make suggestions.) The City also has two pages dedicated to this topic: CC & Proposed CC.
MAYOR’s VIDEO ON COMMUNITY CENTER (Aug. 2023): link
Update (April 2024): link
Important Documents
Birth to Five, Needs Assessment (Region 33), link
IDHS IL Youth Survey, 2022, link
Galesburg’s Executive Summary (on Community Center), Dec. 2022, link
White Paper on Community Centers, Nov. 2022, link
Timeline on Community Center Project, Nov. 2022, link
Farnsworth Presentation on Comm. Centers, Sept. 2022, link
Galesburg’s “City Community Survey”, Summer 2022, findings (survey, press rel.)
Farnsworth Assessment of Churchill, Dec. 2021, link
NAACP Systemic Racism in Galesburg, Nov. 2020, link
Heart & Soul Value Statements, link
Galesburg Park & Recreation Master Plan, Feb. 2019, link
Galesburg Comprehensive Plan, Jan. 2019, link
Community Center VIDEOS
Building Rouge Park CC (Detroit), link
Cesar Chavez CC (Phoenix, AZ), link
Kentland (MD) CC, link
Lubber Run (VA) CC, link
Singing Arrow CC (Albuquerque, NM), link
Touring CC in Olathe, KS, link
Touring CC in Plymouth, MN, link
Key Local News
Task Force Begins Work, link
City Council Approves Task Force, July 2023, link
Bonds Issued for Community Center, March 2023, link
Public Forum on Community Center, Jan. 2023, link
City Council begins master planning for Comm. Center, June 2022, link
Galesburg considers Community Center options, Feb. 2015, link
Community Center Excellence
3 emerging trends in putting “community” in CC design, link
5 of the best community centers [in the world], link
Examples of Successful Community Centers, link
UN report on Community Centers, link
NRPA’s statements on impact of recreational centers, link1, link2
Rock Island’s MLK Center, Report, link
Community Centers (in Midwest)
12 of the best CC in the Twin Cities Metro (MN), link
Bloomington, IL, Western Avenue CC, link
Bloomington-Normal, Boys & Girls Club, link
Davenport, IA, Roosevelt CC, link
Madison, WI, Goodman CC, link
Mundelein, IL, Mundelein CC, link
Peoria, IL, (Proctor Rec Center, link; Carver CC, link; South Side Mission, link; Neighborhood House, link)
Quincy, IL, Kroc Center, link
Rock Island, IL, MLK Center, link
St. Peter, MN, St. Peter CC, link