The town of Schererville is putting its money where its racetrack used to be and moving ahead with the design work to redevelop the former Illiana Speedway property on U.S. 30.
The Schererville Town Council has executed a pair of contracts with Reardon Consulting Services/Puglia & Cork LLC for development of the 66-acre parcel into a regional recreational destination.
The land will eventually become part of one larger park through connections to nearby Rohrman Park, including bike trails linking neighborhoods and other local parks. Undeveloped acreage adjacent to the Illiana property could push the combined park system beyond 125 acres.
The $91,125 contract involves the pre-design phase, including internal meetings with town council and park board members, administrative staff and key external stakeholders, according to Town Manager Jim Gorman. Furthermore, the work covers conceptual design analysis, reviewing results of community meetings, surveys, research and various community outreach activities.
Reardon will then prepare a report and present it to town officials and help interview and select qualified design firm. Additionally, the firm will engage professionals for the delivery of technical studies and environmental, geotechnical, topography and utilities surveys, leading to a proposed timeline to complete the project.
The pre-design phase will take 15 weeks to complete and should be done by the end of June, Gorman said.
The second contract of $71,100 involves the actual design phase and calculating the project costs, which will be subject to Town Council approval. The scope of work will deliver three conceptual designs based on Reardon’s phase one, pre-design work.
Reardon will also develop an alternative funding source assessment and economic impact analysis report in addition to providing town officials with summary progress reports. This work is expected to take 12 weeks and conclude by the end of September, Gorman said.
Councilman Tom Schmitt, D-4th, said the town envisions breaking ground on phase one of the development in late 2024, with the land being developed in phases over a period of years.
There are a number of potential amenities on the table, such as a recreation center/gymnasium similar to Highland’s Lincoln Center, and an entertainment pavilion comparable to Crown Point’s Bulldog Park. A botanical garden/arboretum could accentuate various greenery enhancements, Schmitt said.
Much of the land will be reserved for new sports fields, namely youth soccer, Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, and Pop Warner football, which reflect the desires of residents who participated in a series of community input sessions. Basketball, pickleball and volleyball courts as well as walking trails are also strong possibilities.
A potential baseball stadium could be substantial to attract a minor league baseball franchise, with ample parking to accommodate events and festivals, according to Schmitt.
The development is expected to honor its speedway legacy through specific themes, naming and events. In fact, the former racetrack won’t be razed, as it has a foundation suitable to build an event pavilion or other structure upon, according to Schmitt.
As for financing the project, all options available to the town are on the table, but town officials have made no formal decisions yet. The land is part of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, so there is a mechanism in place for funding the infrastructure and development itself.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.