Possible Champaign Central High Sites Expanded to Ten

The Champaign Unit Four School Board now has 10 possible sites for a building to replace Central High School.

The latest is on the Clearview Development Site on Mattis Avenue, north of Interstate 74. 

School Board President Sue Grey said she was intrigued by the possibility, and she said she was happy the Atkins Group Developers brought forward the site for consideration.

"I feel like ease of access to this site is great," she said. "I also feel like it has the acreage that we have been looking for for a site, so as presented to the board, we found it to be acceptable, and wanted to share it with the public."

Superintendent Judy Wiegand laid out the possible site for a new high school at last night’s Unit 4 board meeting. 

There was no public comment about the proposal.  Other possible sites include the north end of Prospect Avenue, and two spots west of First Street and south of Windsor Avenue.

Grey said University of Illinois graduate Holly Nelson, who researched the locations as part of a master’s degree project, will now do an economic and environmental study on the Clearview site. She said the site will likely be added to Unit 4’s list of other possible locations online. 

Any project for a new Central High School would have to be approved by voters in a referendum, possibly by March 2014.