The Hub Pays Permit Fee, Awaits Decision Before Re-Opening

Popular youth hangout spot , which closed this summer while dealing with zoning issues, has spent nearly 90 percent of its operating budget to try to re-open its doors and continue its mission of providing kids a safe place to hang out.

The Hub closed for the summer because in which it resides off of Schoolhouse Road. Director Dan Stinnett was required to apply for a special use permit or close The Hub, and after shutting the doors in June, he paid the permit application fee last week.

Even if the Will County Board grants The Hub the special use permit, the next roadblock will be recouping those costs and becoming more solvent.

The application alone for a special use permit is $3,750, and an additional $2,250 was spent on a required land survey and architecture plan. For this nonprofit, which struggles to makes ends meet as it is and sometimes even lets kids into concerts for free if they don't have money, that's a tall task.

Last week, Will County Board representative Tom Weigel (R-New Lenox) asked the land use committee to cut the cost of the application in half, but that failed in a 3-3 vote. Weigel said Stinnett is one of a few local business owners who have struggled with the cost of the current fee.

Stinnett said there are other upgrades The Hub must pay for, such as a ramp to the performing stage where bands typically play every Saturday night. Without the weekly concerts this summer, The Hub hasn't made any money except for a few birthday or graduation parties.

The county board might not hear Stinnett's case until October, which upsets him because kids will be back to school in a couple weeks without a safe hangout spot.

"It’s an important time for us as an organization and for the kids," he said. "It might not seem like what we do is a big deal, but it really is. There are massive risks (for the kids) when we don’t allow things like this."

Stinnett is hopefuly the county will approve his special use permit, and in the meantime a and recoup the cost of the application and upgrades. The outing starts at 10 a.m. Sept. 7 at the

Residents interested in making donations to The Hub can go to www.lwhub.org or call Stinnett at 815-717-8002.