Byron CUSD 226 plans athletic complex renovations

    Byron Community Unit School District 226 is planning a comprehensive renovation of the Joe Parks Athletic Complex, which is home to the Tigers’ baseball, softball, and soccer teams.

    Joe Parks was a longtime educator in the Byron School District. He graduated from Byron High School in 1947 and went on to attend Northern Illinois State Teachers College. After his freshman year, he returned to his hometown to teach, coach, and mentor the students and athletes of the Byron community for 35 years. Parks coached football, basketball, baseball, and track. In his “spare” time, he owned and operated Park Sports, was clubhouse manager at Prairie View Golf Course and was recognized in 1970 as Byron’s Citizen of the Year. He was part of the inaugural class of recipients to the Byron Hall of Fame in 2012.

    Bob Boyer, a longtime resident of Byron, recalls, “I was fortunate to have had Joe as my elementary school basketball coach. My dear friend Roger Reeverts and I were in seventh grade when Joe promoted the two of us to the heavyweights. It was a great time, and soon, thanks to Joe, we had the team with little guys, like Roger and me, dominating the basketball season.” Boyer also remembers how he and a group of friends would drive to Mt. Morris to cheer on their coach when Parks played basketball for the Kable Colts A.A.U. amateur basketball team.

    Joe Parks was an outstanding individual with a strong character. He made a positive and lasting impression on numerous students; his commitment to the Byron schools and athletic programs is why the district proudly named the sports complex after him.

    Plans for the updated ballpark include repairing the restrooms, revamping the concession stand and entryway, rebuilding the softball dugouts, relocating and replacing the batting cages, and building a maintenance-free press box for both softball and baseball. The current pavilion will also be relocated. Over at the soccer field, the current dugouts will be replaced by a maintenance-free press box and new dugouts.

    The school district gathered input from community members, staff, and students through their Strategic Planning Process. Members of the Community Focus Groups and the Buildings and Ground Task Force helped identify and prioritize essential projects throughout the entire district. Members were asked to consider a variety of criteria such as: cost effectiveness, return on investment, handicap accessibility, safety conditions, and the potential for multi-use. Through this process it was also discovered that replacement parts and support services for much of the older equipment and mechanics were no longer available, rendering them obsolete. An extensive list was generated and after narrowing it down, the district began to formulate a comprehensive plan to address the most critical areas of concern.

    The Board of Education has approved the list of long-awaited repairs and renovations in part because of the school district’s multi-year tax agreement with the Byron Nuclear Generating Station. The six-year tax agreement ensures consistent revenue for the district, which provides a level of financial security for the Board of Education to confidently move forward with their long-term Capital Improvement Plan. The Board of Education has worked to drop its tax rate from $4.03 in 2018 to its current rate of $3.89. The Board intends to keep their tax rate stable despite selling bonds to finance the district’s capital projects. The repayment schedule for the totality of the bonds being sold for capital projects coincides with the timeframe of the long-term tax agreement.

    Recently completed projects at the high school include the Sunderman Theater renovation, restroom expansion, locker room refurbishment, and pickleball/tennis court restoration. Renovations at the high school library/media center are currently underway and scheduled to be completed by the end of this month. Future projects contained in the district’s multi-year plan will affect the Aquatics Center, Everett Stine Stadium, and the PE Center. In addition to the areas utilized by the community and athletes, the Capital Improvement Plan includes the high school student services office and lower commons food service area, along with numerous safety improvements throughout the district.

    Work at the Joe Parks Athletic Complex is slated to begin later this month. The district is planning a rededication ceremony in the spring for the community and family of Joe Parks.

    Karen Shiver, daughter of Joe Parks, stated, “Having been born and raised in Byron, my dad participated as a student athlete, coached, taught, and directed many athletic programs here throughout his lifetime. I know that he would be thrilled and proud to see these facilities improved and thoughtfully designed for future generations of athletes and community members to utilize for years to come. Thank you to the Board of Education for making this possible.”

    For more detailed information regarding the school district’s Capital Improvement Plan and Financing Strategy, please consider attending one of the scheduled Community Conversations to be held in the Byron High School Theater Meeting Room on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m., and on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.