$250,000 grant boosts LifeSpan Center

May 1, 2006

MATTOON -- Construction of Coles County’s LifeSpan Center facility for the elderly moved a step closer to starting Monday with the announcement of a $250,000 federal grant for the project.

U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, announced the grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Monday at the Mattoon Senior Citizens Center. He called the grant an example of taxpayers’ money being well-spent.

“There are projects where we know the dollars you pay in taxes are going to be returned several times over,” Johnson said. “We know those dollars are going to pay off with a better quality of life in Coles County.”

Several officials from the county’s Council on Aging, which is building the facility, and from throughout the county attended Monday’s announcement ceremony. Tim Gover, the council’s board president, presented the tea-loving Johnson with a tea cup and tea bags and said the grant is another example of support for the center.

“Overall, we’re pleased,” Gover said. “People have been very supportive and we’re very, very thankful for that.”

The federal grant cuts into the roughly $2 million still needed to cover the $3.8-million construction cost of the LifeSpan Center. Gover said the board still hasn’t set a date for when construction will begin. Work had been set for this summer at one point until the board decided it was worth it to wait on the grant before signing a construction contract.

The LifeSpan Center will be located along Loxa Road just north of Illinois Route 16 next to the council’s Dial-A-Ride public transportation program.

It’s supposed to replace the Charleston and Mattoon senior centers, but also improve upon them by bringing more space and additional programs. The fundraising goal for the project totals $6.7 million and includes a $2 million “operating endowment” that’s supposed to help ensure the council can continue to expand its programs.

Johnson said the council first approached him two years ago about possibly working on federal funding for the project and the way it was presented led him to make it a priority. He also noted it was only a few months ago that he was in the county to present council Executive Director Dee Braden with a $10,000 grant from Mitsubishi Motors honoring women’s achievements.

“This is a very special county with very special people who have a commitment to public service,” Johnson said.