The Berens Park synthetic turf fields renovations are moving along! The old turf has been removed and fine grading has taken place. Renovations are expected to be completed in August!
One of the values the Park District emphasizes is being Community Focused – at the end of the day, it’s all about the community we serve. Improving the accessibility of our parks and facilities for all community members is an important part of maintaining that focus.
As the home to many Park District programs, including dance, preschool and gymnastics, it’s important that Wagner Community Center is maintained to ensure a safe recreation space for the community. An upcoming roof restoration project will contribute to keeping the building properly maintained. At the March 12, 2018 Park Board meeting, the Board approved restoring the existing roof system over the registration and staff offices, classrooms and Multipurpose Room A at the Wagner Community Center.
Installed in 2008, the two existing synthetic turf sports fields at Berens Park are popular sites for soccer, football and lacrosse. However, after ten years of use, replacement is necessary to continue to provide a safe and functional surface for play and to meet the high demand for field usage, by both the Park District and affiliate athletic groups.
This spring, residents can look forward to new trees coming to Park District parks. As the Park District works to maintain and update existing parks, open space and amenities, it realizes that the shade, beauty and environmental benefits trees provide are an important part of a park visitor's experience. At the February 12, 2018 board meeting, the Park Board approved a bid of $22,702 to plant 82 trees throughout the parks.
Maintaining the parking lots and paths at District parks helps visitors access the parks safely and is an important task that aligns with the District’s goal of maintaining amenities.
At the February 12, 2018 board meeting, the Park Board approved a bid of $195,415 for a paving, seal coating and striping project for the west parking lot of Berens Park as well as the parking stalls along Oaklawn Avenue. The work will also entail repaving deteriorating paths at Conrad Fischer Park.
The Bicentennial Fountain and its surrounding area in Wild Meadows Trace, will receive some improvements in spring 2018, just in time for residents to enjoy the space this coming summer.
On Saturday, November 4, members of the Elmhurst Park District Board of Park Commissioners gathered to officially welcome the community to the new Plunkett Park playground. Unfortunately, due to storms, the grand reopening was moved inside to Courts Plus where the Board along with Executive Director Jim Rogers cut the ribbon with view of the new playground behind them.
The Elmhurst Park District will institute a District-wide tobacco ban on November 16, 2017 in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smoke-Out, an event that encourages people to quit smoking.
Visitors to Berens Park and East End Park will soon have more room to run, play and picnic. Green space will be added to both parks this fall as part of the Park District’s goal to improve and maintain open space for Elmhurst residents.
Two single family properties recently acquired by the Park District, 447 W. Armitage Avenue (located adjacent to Berens Park) and 207 N. Hampshire Avenue (located northeast of East End Park), will be demolished and restored to open space during the week of October 10, 2017.
Elmhurst Park District is looking for your input! Conrad Fischer Park is scheduled to receive a face lift in the summer of 2018. The District plans to replace the playground, redevelop the tennis courts and implement other general park improvements.
Work on the redevelopment of Plunket Park playground is moving swiftly. Most of the concrete has been poured, which will allow for the installation of new picnic tables, and equipment installation has begun. The 2-5 years olds structure is going up as well as the swing structure. Nature inspired elements, including a log replica tunnel, are being installed as well. The project is still on track to be completed by October 2017.
If you've strolled the Illinois Prairie Path in Elmhurst recently, you may have noticed a construction project underway at The Depot. This fall, the old pavers, which were uneven and beginning to chip, are being replaced with new ones, which will provide a continuous, smooth surface and improve ADA accessibility.
With school back in session, the Park District is beginning work on the redevelopment of Plunkett Park playground, which will receive new structures and play surfacing this fall. On August 16, the old playground structures were removed by Kids Around the World, a non-profit agency that repurposes playgrounds and rebuilds them in developing countries. Elmhurst Park District has worked with them previously to repurpose playground equipment from several parks, including most recently at Butterfield Park.
The Elmhurst Park District held a public meeting on Thursday, July 27 to welcome feedback from the community on the conversion of property related to Golden Meadows Park. Recently, Park District commissioners approved the purchase of the former trailer park property at 0S761 Old York Road that would replace the portion of Golden Meadows Park deeded to the City back in April to assist in the City’s stormwater management efforts. A smaller portion of land at 207 N. Hampshire Ave. would also be part of the conversion process.
The north tennis courts at Berens Park are once again open. The refurbishment of the courts was completed this week, as new nets and posts were installed.
The Board approved the resurfacing project for the tennis courts, at their February 27 Park Board Meeting at a cost of $121,946.17. The scope of the project included adding a layer of stone on top of the existing surface and overlaying with new asphalt and color coating. The tennis net posts and nets were replaced at a cost of $3,240.
Asphalt pavement is being placed today at the Berens North tennis courts and both the binder and surface courses should be finished by the end of the week! Concrete work will follow over the next few weeks. As of right now, the project is on schedule for a July 28th completion.
With the goal of increasing accessibility to The Depot, a historic building situated in Wild Meadows Trace, the Park Board approved the replacement of The Depot’s pavers at the Monday, February 27, 2017 meeting, at a cost of $22,320. The new pavers will provide a continuous, smooth surface and improve ADA accessibility. The existing bricks have ¾” gaps or wider, are uneven and are beginning to chip.
The Elmhurst Park District Board of Park Commissioners cut the ribbon and officially welcomed the public to the newly redesigned Ben Allison sled hill on Saturday, January 28.
Park Board President Vince Spaeth and Executive Director Jim Rogers explained that plans for the renovation of the sled hill were approved by the Park Board in February 2016 in an effort to provide ADA accessibility and a safer sled path that is not angled toward the street.