Old Village Hall is now Monee Parks and Rec

It’s official. The old Monee Village Hall has a new name.

Vacated last month with the opening of the new village hall on Egyptian Trail, the Court Street facility henceforth will be known as Monee Parks and Rec Administration building. The Parks and Rec department has moved its offices there, but not the activities.

Mayor Therese Bogs raised the issue of the building’s official identity during Wednesday’s meeting of the board of trustees. She said she felt it should be called something more appropriate than “the old village hall.”

Noting the building is considered part of the Firemen’s Park complex, she suggested the new name might reflect that, but added, “I’m certainly open to any ideas anybody’s got.”

Trustee Scott Youdris chimed in, tongue in cheek, “Since it’s Firemen’s Park, we could call it Battalion Headquarters.”

Any combination of Parks and Recreation Department Administration Center, or Building, or Offices, was deemed a bit too long, and trustees joked it would require a new sign to accommodate it.

Moreover, Trustee Heidi Gonzalez pointed out a name that includes Fireman’s Park might confuse people into thinking events are being held there.

So with a minimum of discussion, the board settled on Monee Parks and Rec Administration Building.

In other business, the board:

•Witnessed the oath of office for new Emergency Management Agency volunteers Ian Barron and Dennis Calderone. EMA Director Randy Ulaskas said the two new members bring the agency total to 19. “Both of them come with a lot of education, so it won’t be long before we see them on the street,” he said.

•Authorized the village attorney and the administrator to begin Redevelopment Agreement discussions and negotiations for the Quality Inn/Super 8 hotels in Monee. Owners of the properties told the board they envision “transforming our two Monee hotels into premier destinations, fostering vibrant community engagement and offering exceptional leisure experiences for corporate groups and workers alike.” Among their goals are to update guest rooms, improve the parking lot and landscaping, repair the swimming pool and roof, and reduce high noise levels from nearby highways. They are seeking TIF funding to help finance the improvements.

•Approved additional $70,668 Tax Increment Finance funding for the popular Eat the Bone BBQ restaurant at 25655 S. Governors Highway. Restaurant owners asked for additional TIF money “for unanticipated costs relative to the completion of the project” and are looking to “upgrade the restaurant.” Eat the Bone owners acknowledged they already had received the $40,000 set in the initial agreement in 2023.