JDC finally closing its doors
Updated: November 30, 2012
SPRINGFIELD -- Its fate has been in limbo for the past year, now the Jacksonville Developmental Center is finally closing its doors. Governor Quinn announced Thursday all the people who lived there have been moved to group homes around the state.
Residents are pretty upset about the news. They say the JDC is the heart of Jacksonville. Now, they're wondering what's going to happen next.
It's a question Mayor Andy Ezard says he doesn't have the answer to. He says he's unsure about the city or the county's future.
From a financial standpoint, the entire area could lose more than $45 million. That would be, in part, to all 200 residents moving away and another 400 employees no longer having jobs there.
Plans for the building are still up in the air. He's planning to meet with the state to talk about it.
"We all know how it is when a building sits vacant for a while, things don't get maintained as well as they used to, and it's forgotten. I don't want this facility to be forgotten because I want this facility to thrive in some aspect," said Mayor Ezard.
Ezard says they've tossed around a few ideas about how the facility could be used, including turning it into a school for the district. Governor Quinn sent out a statement about the official closing.
He says he's pleased with how smoothly the transition went, and assures everyone that the residents are better off in group homes.
Residents are pretty upset about the news. They say the JDC is the heart of Jacksonville. Now, they're wondering what's going to happen next.
It's a question Mayor Andy Ezard says he doesn't have the answer to. He says he's unsure about the city or the county's future.
From a financial standpoint, the entire area could lose more than $45 million. That would be, in part, to all 200 residents moving away and another 400 employees no longer having jobs there.
Plans for the building are still up in the air. He's planning to meet with the state to talk about it.
"We all know how it is when a building sits vacant for a while, things don't get maintained as well as they used to, and it's forgotten. I don't want this facility to be forgotten because I want this facility to thrive in some aspect," said Mayor Ezard.
Ezard says they've tossed around a few ideas about how the facility could be used, including turning it into a school for the district. Governor Quinn sent out a statement about the official closing.
He says he's pleased with how smoothly the transition went, and assures everyone that the residents are better off in group homes.
