URBANA — The oft-vandalized but iconic pavilion at Carle Park in Urbana — built for $10,000 in 1919 — is due for another rehabilitation.

Just the preliminary design and cost estimating portion of the project will cost about $19,000.

"It has had such a chronic history of vandalism that we just need to do something to stabilize the structure and protect it again," said Vicki Mayes, executive director of the Urbana Park District. "What we'll be doing initially is to have an architect/engineering firm look at it to see what can be done to stabilize it.

"What has happened over time is that, in addition to having graffiti painted all over, which every time we clean it damages the surface of the concrete and the stone, the other thing that has happened is that the people doing the vandalism have over time scraped the mortar from between the stones. Then water gets in in the wintertime and freezes and thaws and cracks. We're to the point now where it really needs to be done again."

The pavilion underwent a comprehensive $100,000 renovation in 1993 and 1994, including a roof replacement, new lighting, tuck pointing, new gutters and downspouts, repair of mortar and stonework and new doors and frames. New landscaping near the building also was installed.

"We're pretty much at that point again," Mayes said.

The park board tonight will consider approving a contract with Isaksen Glerum Wachter Architecture to conduct the preliminary design work. The park board will meet at 7 p.m. at the Anita Purves Nature Center, 1505 N. Broadway Ave., U.

The park district is not considering razing the structure, Mayes said, even though its purpose is primarily decorative and the building is a frequent target of vandals who have either set small fires there or use spray paint or permanent markers on it.

"There has been in the past" discussion of demolishing the pavilion, Mayes said. "A few years ago we did a master plan update of Carle Park, along with a program statement. The program statement is the essence of what is important to a particular park, the things that need to continue to happen there. At that park among the things that were important was the historical structures.

"As a part of the entire process it was determined by the neighborhood and the community as a whole that that was important."

Mayes noted that the pavilion recently was voted among the 100 most significant structures in Urbana.

It is believed that the pavilion was built in 1919, 10 years after Mrs. Margaret Carle Morris, an Urbana pioneer who arrived in Champaign County in 1849, gave the 8.3-acre property to the park district. Mrs. Morris died in 1918 and left $10,000 to the park district to beautify the land. A 1919 newspaper story said that work had begun on a $10,000 stone bandstand and shelter at the park.

"The question now is how do we keep it in a way that minimizes the constant vandalism? We're trying to look at positive activities that we can bring there, how can negative activities be discouraged and what can we do to protect the structure," she said.

Once the preliminary work is done, Mayes said, the park district plans to meet with neighborhood residents and discuss ideas for protecting the structure. One proposal is to add wi-fi accessibility to encourage more people to use the area around the pavilion.

"Would that presence of people be something that would discourage the vandalism?" she said. "We're looking at anything that would make it more difficult for vandals to be there."

One of the major uses for the pavilion, Mayes said, is as a setting for photographs.

"Right now what it is used for more than anything is that it is a place that people like to go to have pictures taken," she said. "It's just one of those identifiable community places for graduation pictures or family portraits."