Oak Lodge: Dorm & Hotel Renovation

The Oak Lodge: Dorm & Hotel Renovation started officially on October 10, 2016.

​Below you can read a little bit of the story.....why was this place created, when was Oak Lodge originally constructed. what is the need for the Oak Lodge Renovation, what is happening now, and who is this renovation for. 

Vision & Purpose

Over 70 years ago, a vision began stirring in the hearts of people in the Illinois Mennonite   Conference to provide a place where youth and adults from across the state could come to:
  • meet God in creation,
  • foster new Christian friendships,
  • nurture one’s physical health,
  • and receive basic Christian truths to form a foundation for the development of a well rounded Christian.

These individuals and others acted on this vision in 1958 & 1959 and purchased 231 acres to create a place to fulfill this vision and Menno Haven was created. With the help of faithful     supporters, buildings were constructed to serve the ministry in the late 1960s and 1970s.  The land and these buildings have faithfully served   the ministry for the last 40 years; however,       updates are needed so the aging facilities do not hinder the original vision.
 
Today, we are stewards of the original vision that began in the 1940s. Those that came before us did their part to light the spark and fan a flame for Mennonite camping in Illinois.
 
           Now it is our turn
      to fan the flame and make it grow. 

Hickory House Renovation 2014-2015
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Dorm Rooms:
In the fall of 2014 and winter of 2015 the two bunkrooms in the lower level of Hickory House were completely gutted and transformed into:
  • 4 dorms rooms that each sleep 9-11 people each with an attached bathroom
  • a commons room
  • and a centralized handicapped bathroom with roll-in shower off of the commons room.
 
The rooms also boast individually controlled heating and cooling units.
Hotel Rooms: ​
​Upgrades were also done in the upper hotel rooms including installation of individually controlled heating & cooling units, upgrading of bathroom flooring and sinks, and removal of air vents into the hallways.
​The Addition: 
​An addition was built on the south end of the building providing space for housekeeping in the upper level including a commercial grade washer and dryer and space for summer staff laundry in the lower level.
The Hickory House Renovation, encompassing the Hickory Dorm Room Renovation, the Hickory Hotel upgrades, and the Addition, was completed in March 2015 and has been fully funded.

Where We've Come From

In 1976 –1977 two Guest Lodges (Hickory House and Oak Lodge) were constructed for winterized housing. Each building had
  • 8 hotel rooms on the upper level
  • 2 large bunk rooms on the lower level.
Each bunk room had 9 bunk bed sets and an attached bathroom with 2 showers. The bunk rooms featured painted concrete block walls or paneling, drop ceilings, showers with concrete blocks and cement floors with a shower curtain separating a person from the rest of the bathroom, no air conditioning and no airlock from the outside environment.
These rooms met and perhaps exceeded the expectations for our constituents at that time. However, expectations have changed in the last 40 years.
 
Upstairs each hotel room has a queen bed and a bunk bed set with an attached bathroom and tub/shower. The hotels featured one air conditioning unit for the entire building with return vents from the guest rooms into the hall way as well as dated cabinetry in the bathroom.

Oak Lodge Pre-Renovation 2015
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In 2015, preparatory work was done on Oak Lodge to make the full renovation go more smoothly and quickly. 
 
In the spring donated equipment was used to dig around the building. New drain tile was installed as well as moisture barrier and insulation board put up.  Egress windows were cut in and retaining walls were built.  Gravel was back filled around the perimeter of the building to provide adequate drainage.
​In the fall of 2015 the bunk room drop ceilings were removed and temporary sheet rock ceilings
were installed as well as the old heater and ducts were taken out. In the hotel bathrooms new sink mounts and  flooring were           installed.  A large deck was built  on the north side of the building  to provide handicapped accessible egress and create an additional  informal outdoor meeting area.
Why is the Oak Lodge Renovation needed? 
  • Major maintenance issues are needing attention:
    • moisture control, lighting, flooring and showers in the bunkrooms.
  • Functional updates throughout the entire building can be more easily addressed
    • increased electrical outlets
    • air conditioning installation (which will help with overall moisture control)
    • energy efficient lighting
What will the renovation provide? 
  • Increased couples’ housing - adding 4 queen beds per building
  • More efficient use of housing
    • Appropriate sized housing for small youth groups and large families
    • Increased number of rooms available to groups
  • Increased informal meeting and gathering areas
    • Especially convenient for families with small children
  • Comfortable, updated, private bathrooms in each dorm room
  • Updated handicapped-accessible bathroom available to each dorm room
  • Improved sound proofing in the hotel rooms
  • Improved climate control in both hotel rooms and dorm rooms.
Who will benefit? 
  • You will when you bring:
    • Families with more than 4 people
    • Youth Groups
    • Women's / Men's Groups
    • Family Reunions
    • Summer Camps
    • Scrapbooking / Crafting Events
    • Couples' Retreats
    • School Groups
    • Church Retreats
  • You will when you attend Menno Haven Programmed Retreats

  See What Happened in 2016-2017