Bloomington aldermen on Monday will consider an agreement to sell three acres to the local Boys and Girls Club for $1.
Currently located at 1615 W. Illinois St., just down the street from the park, the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal plans to use 3.34 acres at Sunnyside Park in west Bloomington to build a new, larger facility.
City Manager Tim Gleason said allowing the club to purchase the park saves acres of green space in the west side neighborhood.
“We don’t want to lose that amount of recreational property in that neighborhood,” Gleason said. “There just happens to be property adjacent to (the club’s current location) and it becomes the responsibility of the Boys and Girls Club.”
The city previously considered leasing the property to the club. Gleason said the decision to sell the property to the club instead allows both parties to skip a lengthy negotiation process.
“Instead of going back and forth and trying to figure out what price tag do we put on that like space, let’s just bundle it and it becomes the responsibility of the Boys and Girls Club in their bid for their project, and it’s done. We sell it for a buck and it’s over with,” Gleason said.
Gleason and City Attorney Jeff Jurgens will deliver brief presentations on the memorandum before council action.
In other business, the council will also consider a rental assistance agreement for residents of the proposed renovations at 510 E. Washington St.
Monday’s city council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. The council last month agreed to move all regular meeting and Committee of the Whole meetings to 6 p.m.
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