Each year the Illinois Association of Park Districts distributes an Outstanding Facility Award to one facility in the state.

This year’s award recipient is the DeKalb Sports & Recreation Center.

The park district decided to build the center in 1996, after the basketball program for adults and children had outgrown its home in the Haish Gym. Although they recently had added two more gyms to Haish, the park board agreed to construct the center in 1997.

The center, located on 1765 S. 4th St., has extended beyond basketball since it opened Jan. 1, 2000. It has become an indoor practice field for multiple NIU sports including football, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s softball and men’s baseball. It also hosts a number of athletic practices and P.E. classes for DeKalb High School.

“I think the thing that makes this building unique is that we designed it ourselves,” said David Emanuelson, executive director for the DeKalb Park District.

The $4.5 million dollar building has become a model for other recreation facilities in the state. The indoor field’s turf is made from small rubber pellets, cushioning the field and reducing player injuries. The center also holds two gyms and many practice rooms for dance and aerobics classes. Other programs offered for adults are country line dancing, belly dancing, swing dancing and yoga. Children’s programs include ballet, jazz and parent-tot partner dance.

“In the two years that we’ve been open, we’ve exceeded our expectations,” said athletic director William Ryder. “We knew we would fill the building and have programs, but we just didn’t think we would get full right away.”

The center also hires students for part-time work as officials for sporting activities, scorekeeping and maintenance work.

Entrance fees are determined on a resident or non-resident basis. NIU students are considered residents.

The center is open seven days a week and has office hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, call 758-7756.