City of Washington, Illinois
When representatives from the Washington Area Community Center, Inc., Washington Community High School District 308, Washington Public Library District, Washington Park District, and the City of Washington gathered on April 3, 2003, for a joint signing ceremony – they knew they were starting something big. Now known as “Five Points Washington,” the complex is the final product of an unprecedented collaborative effort for the region.
The creation of a community center–combining an aquatic center, gymnasium, public library, performing arts center, meeting rooms, and administrative offices into a community one-stop-shop–is never an easy task. How did they get a project of this magnitude off the ground? It began with an eager board comprised of representatives from each of the five participating entities meeting weekly in 2002 to hash out ideas and discuss plans.
They divided up the leadership responsibilities and roles as follows:
- Washington Area Community Center: lead agency for overall project; fund-raising, project design, and construction.
- City of Washington, IL: contributor toward capital costs; lead agency for project bonding.
- Washington Community High School: contributor toward capital and operating costs related to the performing arts center; principal advisor for design of performing arts center.
- Washington Park District: contributor toward capital and operating costs related to recreational center component; key advisor for recreation and aquatic centers.
- Washington Public Library District: contributor toward capital and operating costs related to library; lead agency for library component
Collaborating is easier said than done. “The first and foremost ingredient, and it isn’t money, is cooperation,” City Administrator Bob Morris stated to reporters from the Washington Courier in 2002. “They don’t always agree but find a way to work through it. The second ingredient is the commitment to see it through.”
Morris took on the lead role of financial planning. After securing two-thirds of the funding before they even broke ground, he was able to complete the project through grants and fundraising efforts, without raising taxes. Donations came pouring in from Rotary clubs, swim teams, and spaghetti dinners. By early 2016, the $15 million community center was run as a nonprofit, multipurpose facility that uses fitness center user fees, rental revenue, and event admission sales to finance day-to-day operations, support community activities, and build reserves for major repairs and replacements.
“Bob Morris played an instrumental role in the financial planning for the Five Points project” current City of Washington City Administrator Jim Culotta explained. “He was a key contributor to this five entity partnership.”
Resilience and Recovery
When disaster struck on November 17, 2013, in the form of an EF-4 tornado, Five Points Washington became more than just a complex. Roughly 1,100 homes were destroyed or damaged when the twister roared through the community. Tornado survivors gathered at the facility, and for weeks its halls were filled with donated household supplies for displaced residents. Two years later, a plaza and sculpture were built to pay tribute to the city’s resilience and recovery. The three-sided base of the sculpture contains a note saying it is dedicated “... to all those whose strength and courage rebuilt Washington after the tornado of November 17, 2013” and a quote from George Washington: “Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.”
Watch this video and learn more about what Five Points Washington offers its community.
Meet the Manager
