The Elgin Recreation Center received a reprieve Wednesday night after the City Council, meeting as a committee of the whole, voted 5-1 to approve $198,000 in funding, more than half of which will go toward operating costs.
Elgin is the primary funder for the center, which provides recreational and educational activities to young people between the ages of 5 and 35. Its mission is to combat gang recruitment and activity by giving young people an alternative place to go.
This year, the center, at 1080 E. Chicago St., will spend $74,000 on gang intervention programs that include weight training, computer classes and sports. An additional $128,000 will go toward salaries, mortgage, insurance and utility bills.
“We need to take a good hard look to see if we’re getting our money’s worth,” cautioned Mayor Kevin Kelly.
Council member Terry Gavin voted against the funding, saying, “These are not city employees.” The center, formerly known as God’s Gym, has been criticized in the past for relying heavily on taxpayer funding.