Kaskaskia College Sets April 25 Ribbon Cutting for New Centralia Competition Gym
Kaskaskia College plans a public April 25 ribbon cutting and Bill Hawley Court dedication at its new Centralia gym, formalizing a venue already in use.
Kaskaskia College says it will hold a public ribbon-cutting and court dedication ceremony for its new competition gym on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the college’s main campus in Centralia.
The event is being framed as the formal opening milestone for the building, with the basketball floor set to be dedicated as John W. “Bill” Hawley Court. In its announcement, the college said Hawley has served as a board trustee since 1986 and has been chair of the Board of Trustees for more than 20 years.
For Centralia-area residents, the practical value goes beyond college sports. Kaskaskia College said the new gym is intended to host Blue Devil and Blue Angel athletics, campus events, and community gatherings. That gives the city a larger venue on a prominent local campus for student activities, public-facing programs, and regional events that draw people from across the area.
The building is not brand new to users, even though the April 25 ceremony will be its formal public dedication. Southern Illinois Now reported that the gym hosted its first basketball games in February. That report said seating capacity grew from about 850 to about 1,350, giving the college more room for games and larger campus functions. The same report also said college officials saw potential for the facility to support other high-attendance events.
There is already some evidence of that broader use. The Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce listed Kaskaskia College’s gymnasium as the site of its March 28 regional business expo, showing the space has already been used for a community event and not only for athletics.
That makes the April 25 event less about first use and more about formal recognition: a public opening for a larger Centralia venue and a dedication tied to one of the college’s longest-serving leaders. For residents, it means another local gathering space with more seating capacity and a clearer role in both campus life and community programming.
