LEROY - A key element has fallen into place for the LeRoy recreation center project.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently released its 2008 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grants. The $400,000 request submitted by the LeRoy Park Board and city of LeRoy was on the list.

"We are so excited about the grant," said Replex Center Board President Teresa Bailey, who also is a LeRoy Park Board member. "By awarding the full $400,000 towards the project, it just goes to show that there are people at the state level who feel this is an extraordinary project too.

"It comes at a great time with construction starting to begin at the site."

Site preparation has been ongoing for the last several weeks. Site supervisor David Jenkins, LeRoy code compliance officer David Jenkins, said the unsuitable soil has been removed and structural fill has been placed.

The $4.7 million Replex project will include both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym with walking track, classrooms and a weight room. It will replace the park district's aging pool, which was closed in 2006 because of safety concerns.

The project is unusual because two government entities combined for the project.

The park board did not have the resources to replace the pool after a tax referendum failed.

The city was able to compensate for that by contributing sales tax money. Voters approved raising LeRoy's sales tax to 0.05 percent, which is expected to yield about $150,000 a year to help pay down the debt.

"The OSLAD grant has been a component of the Replex project from the beginning," said LeRoy Alderwoman Shirley Chancellor, who serves on the Replex board. "We knew we could apply, but had no idea if our small town would be chosen for this honor."

City Manager Jeff Clawson and Katie Miller Taylor spent many hours writing the grant and assembling the data. They traveled to Springfield and presented the grant application to the OSLAD grant committee.

Representatives of Replex and the Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the grant money, plan to meet Thursday to talk about administering the grant.