Civic Center Takes Shape at Community Forum

Lake Forest residents looking for a computer lab, community theater or banquet hall may eventually find all three at City Hall.

On Tuesday evening, about 20 Lake Forest residents shared a wide range of ideas for the design and use of the city's future civic center.

The community workshop, hosted at , provided residents with a chance to give their input into the planning process.

"Think about your children, think about your grandchildren," urged Hannah Shin-Heydorn, a management analyst with the city who gave a short presentation about the project before the discussion began.

Hot topics at the hourlong discussion included senior programming, technology, emergency services and the durability of the physical building.

Having a large meeting place that could potentially host stage productions, conferences or even a wedding was a popular suggestion, as was making the building a sustainable one, perhaps using solar power.

The lease on the building that currently functions as  expires in 2014; if all goes according to schedule, the city would transition to a new home by the end of that year.

According to the city's five-year plan, the civic center could "potentially centralize civic uses such as meeting/conference facilities, administrative offices, emergency operations, special events and the arts."

All of those possibilities were brought up Tuesday by local residents interested in having their say in the design process.

Amenities were not the only portion of the project in which Lake Forest residents are interested; workshop participants also emphasized the need to work with the topography of the hilly area. Some also asked for the city to keep the expansive views currently available from the undeveloped land in mind for its future residents.  

Attendees took a survey detailing what they want—and don't want—to see in the final product.

For those who were unable to attend Tuesday's workshop, the survey is available online until 5 p.m. Friday.

The center, slated for a nine-acre plot near future housing developments, is estimated to cost $36 million.