Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame discussed in Pontiac

Posted on May 7, 2016

Plans and fundraising are in full swing for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and Museum in the former K-Mart building in Pontiac. (Photo courtesy Illinois Basketball Coaches Association)

By Greg Halbleib and Eric Stock

Plans for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac are shifting into a higher gear.

The museum is planned for the former K-Mart building on Pontiac’s west side. The museum’s new director of development Mark Myre says the project is being designed.

“We’re looking at 30,000 square feet but it could change to 16,000 or 20,000 depending on the architects,” said Myre. “We have a design group we’ll meet with again out of Chicago that did the Caterpillar visitors center and has worked with the Chicago Bears and the University of California. They are the best in the country and we can’t wait.”

Myre says the facilty will celebrate Illinois hoops heritage with an eye on the future.

“This is about kids because our future means everything,” said Myre. “It will be interactive, computerized and the future of Illinois high school basketball. I don’t want to set up any dates yet, but we’re official and we’ve just got to go to work.”

Myre says fundraising will get into full swing later this summer with a large golf outing featuring PGA Tour professionals in August as the first major fundraising event.

More information is at ibcaillinois.org.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…