IV Leader, Sept. 3, 2009
Construction completed this summer allowed the college’s Truck Driver Training Center to begin operating in a new facility and opened an additional 300 parking spaces on campus.
On July 9, more than 150 guests attended the grand opening of the Illinois Valley Community College Truck Driver Training Center and Lot 7 parking lot.
State Sen. Gary Dahl (R-Granville), Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley) and Rep. Robert Pritchard (R-Sycamore) joined IVCC President Jerry Corcoran, board chair Dennis Thompson and Vice President for Learning and Student Development Rick Pearce in officially opening the facility.
“Were it not for Representatives Mautino and Pritchard and Sen. Dahl, and all members of the General Assembly, we would not have been able to receive $550,000 in capital renewal funds to get this project going in the first place,” said Corcoran.
The facility is the first to be added to IVCC’s campus in 29 years and marks a “historic milestone,” Corcoran said. He credited Truck Driver Training program coordinator Bruce Hartman with helping build a flourishing program that graduates about 100 drivers a year and over 1,000 since its founding in April, 2000.
“My sincere thanks to Bruce and his staff for the great job they have done in building such a successful program. Bruce, we all know that the ‘H’ on this building is because it was the next one in our lettering system, but as far as I’m concerned, every time I look at it, I think of you. Congratulations on a job well done,” Corcoran said.
Corcoran also praised former President Larry Huffman for his work in making the new parking lot a reality.
“It is important that I single out Dr. Huffman because it was he that encouraged everyone to move along with adding 300 spots to the current parking lots that were scheduled for resurfacing. This beautiful new lot to our west is twice as big because of Dr. Huffman’s recommendation,” Corcoran said.
More construction coming
Also this summer, the college learned that it will receive $23 million in state funding to build a Community Technology Center. The CTC will replace many of the buildings currently on the East Campus.