The new Randall Oaks Recreation Center, which opened in August 2012 in West Dundee, Illinois, has been awarded an Outstanding Facility Award from the Illinois Park & Recreation Association (IPRA). The 52,300-square-foot, two-level building was designed by the Elgin, Illinois, office of Dewberry, a national design and consulting firm, for the Dundee Township Park District.

The recreation center, which came in $1 million under budget, features a double gymnasium, a fitness center with 80 machines, an elevated walking/jogging track, multipurpose rooms, lockers/showers, an exercise studio, and a "KidZone." The Fox River Valley Public Library District is also leasing 5,000 square feet for its Randall Oaks Branch Library.

The facility was built into a hillside on a 20-acre parcel set within the 200-acre Randall Oaks Park. The site master plan incorporates a future expansion and a proposed outdoor aquatic park.

"Dewberry was well aware of our timelines and our financial limitations," says Tom Mammoser, executive director of the Dundee Township Park District. "They coordinated an extremely efficient planning process regarding the conceptualization and ultimate design of the building, and provided excellent leadership."

The Outstanding Facility & Parks Award recognizes public agencies for their exceptional and unique achievements in design and development. The Randall Oaks Recreation Center scored the highest total points among the entries submitted in its division and category from across the state of Illinois.

Dewberry provided architecture, interior design, structural engineering, and IT and security consulting for the project. Metro Design Associates provided mechanical/electrical engineering and Engineering Enterprises, Inc. was responsible for civil engineering. Lamp, Inc. served as the construction manager.