Plans for the construction of a new 160,000-square-foot transportation facility at the DuPage County fairgrounds moved one step closer to reality after a recent pivotal vote from the County Board.
The project, which was first discussed five years ago, has an estimated price tag ranging from $73 million to $82 million and has drawn concerns from county fair organizers and some of the nonprofit groups that have routinely used the site for events and activities.
Alongside discussions of the new maintenance facility, county officials indicated there are plans to create about 4 acres of green space to continue fostering different uses on the fairgrounds.
‘I am not happy with the process’
The County Board had a lengthy discussion about its authorization of the new transportation facility at a meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Many of the board’s commissioners criticized the county’s process, arguing more public input should have been sought.
Ultimately, District 4 commissioner Lynn LaPlante cast a lone dissenting vote on the building project, which will be going before City of Wheaton officials in the coming months for further reviews, deliberation, and final action.
“I am not happy with the process,” LaPlante said. “It could have been done in a more open and transparent fashion. I want to make sure that I’m using my voice, and my vote, to express my constituents’ concerns.”
LaPlante indicated her “no” vote was based on the process, and not the project itself, which she indicated she supported.
Several other board members, including District 3 commissioner Lucy Chang Evans, did cast affirmative votes, but shared similar concerns, arguing the lack of feedback could have resulted in misinformation.
“We need to engage all of the stakeholders in these decisions,” Evans said. “There probably should have been more discussion beforehand.”
Performing arts proposal part of discussions
Intermingled with the transportation facility proposal was an effort within some corners of the county for a Ravinia West performing arts project in the range of $87 million on the county fairgrounds. County Board Chair Deborah Conroy said any such project “would need to be fully fundraised.”
“I believe we have a responsibility to our taxpayers that we live within our means,” Conroy said. “Enhancing the arts, if that’s something this board decides to do, can very much work within a project that works for everyone.”
District 5 commissioner Dawn DeSart said she viewed the performing arts discussion as one that is outside the county’s purview, in terms of the core services the agency is responsible for delivering.
“Our job as a county — and this needs be said — it’s stormwater, it’s zoning and development, it’s safe roads, it’s community services for those who need it the most,” DeSart said. “Our job, as a county, is not performing arts.”
Existing maintenance facility obsolete
The new highway maintenance facility will replace an existing 60,000-square-foot one on County Farm Road in Wheaton that was constructed more than a half-century ago. It has been deemed inadequate for the 220 miles of roadway the county is responsible for maintaining.
As specific details of the new facility have been unveiled, County Board members reportedly have received calls and emails, with concerns about traffic impacts, noise, and related impacts related to the new construction. District 6 commissioner James Zay, however, attempted to throw cold water on those concerns.
“We’re the County of DuPage,” Zay said. “We hold ourselves to a higher standard. We have zoning, we have stormwater, we have transportation. We have people who come to us for developments. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and I’m concerned that people are out there thinking we’re going to be tearing down all of the buildings on the fairgrounds.”
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