Randall Oaks Rec Center, branch library grand opening Saturday

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WEST DUNDEE — Grand opening celebrations will be held Saturday for the $12.4 million Dundee Township Park District Randall Oaks Recreation Center and the Fox River Valley Public Library District’s branch Library inside the center.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the facilities will take place at 10 a.m. at the center, 500 N. Randall Road. Visitors can tour the new facility and participate in free health and wellness screenings, group exercise class demonstrations and children’s activities. Library staff will be on hand to give tours, issue library cards, and answer questions at the branch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 53,000-square-foot recreation center was funded by existing park district tax resources and Build America Bonds, which will provide a 35 percent interest rebate to the district. The center includes a 5,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art fitness center; double gymnasium with two full-size basketball courts; elevated three-lane track; group exercise studio; KidZone (child watch room); preschool; and multipurpose room. Center hours will be 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.

More information is available by calling the center at 847-836-4260.

The 5,000-square-foot branch library, located on the lower level of the center, will feature a variety of materials with the latest titles, older popular books and select audiovisuals. Patrons will find satellite-sized areas including adult fiction and non-fiction, teens, children, audiovisual, adult and game computers, and study tables. Check-out stations, automated return equipment and an outdoor drive-up book return have been installed to make visits efficient and allow more time to browse around and make selections.

Hours for the new branch location will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It will be closed on Fridays and Sundays. “As the branch hours were mapped out, all of our different patrons and their library needs were considered,” said library Director Roxane Bennett.

“We hope we’ve provided a time when everyone will be able to take advantage of our new location, like moms and kids in the mornings, students in the afternoons, adults stopping by after work, and families coming together on Saturdays. We based our hours on what we see at our main location in East Dundee as well as responses received during the community outreach that was conducted during the branch planning. We will watch the traffic and usage closely, and are open to making adjustments in the future if needed.”

Patrons who already have an item on hold and would like to pick it up at the Randall Oaks Branch instead of the Dundee Library can call the Dundee Library at 847-428-3661, ext. 5876; or email dundeeref@dundeelibrary.info (include library card number or have it handy) beginning Monday.

More information is available by calling the library or visiting the website at www.frvpld.info.