Wilder Park Conservatory & Greenhouse Restoration
The IPRA ( Illinois Park & Recreation Association) awards agencies for outstanding and unique achevements in the design and development of a renovated facility.
After a long winter, staff is excited to finish the last leg of the Wilder Park Conservatory Project - the landscaping. One of the basic principles of landscape architecture is for the landscape t
Spring has arrived early at the Wilder Park Conservatory & Greenhouse. Inside it is a comfortable 80 degrees and the springlike scent of soil and plants lingers. It's hard to believe that jus
The fully restored Wilder Park Conservatory and beautiful new greenhouse, scheduled to open to the public on April 12, 2014, were partially funded thanks to a Park & Recreational Facility Const
As the project winds down the scope of the work on the Wilder Park Conservatory and Greenhouse Restoration Project has shifted from large-scale items to detail work. Electricians are programming t
The past two weeks have been filled with activity at the Wilder Park Conservatory and Greenhouse. New light fixtures featuring an antique bronze finish that fits the time period of the Conservatory‘s original construction were installed in the Greenhouse.
A new sidewalk has been installed along the north end of the Conservatory that connects to the link. The link is a new structure that connects the Conservatory and Greenhouse.
Work on the Wilder Park Conservatory and Greenhouse Restoration Project continues with a shift from larger structural jobs to smaller more detail-oriented tasks.
What’s up in Wilder Park? The Greenhouse! In a matter of days construction crews framed-out the Greenhouse, installing the trusses and support posts and beams. The Greenhouse’s full size and shape is now evident as the structure has risen from its concrete foundation. As the Greenhouse goes up, the floor in the Conservatory goes down.
Over the past two weeks the construction crews completed the connection to the City’s water main. The new piping runs from the Greenhouse boiler room south to the Church Street parkway. In order to make the connection a portion of the gardens had to be removed.
The Wilder Park Conservatory and Greenhouse Restoration Project is boring… Directional boring! This is a system of installing pipe or conduit that is less impactful on the surrounding area because it does not require excavating and trenching.
The Wilder Park Conservatory and Greenhouse Restoration Project continues; the frames for the foundations have been removed and construction crews have begun to backfill the spaces surrounding the foundations.
The Wilder Park Conservatory & Greenhouse Restoration Project continues to progress. The panes of glass lining the Conservatory structure have been completely removed, leaving behind the bare frame. The boiler room has also been cleared out, paving the way for new, efficient HVAC systems.
Residents passing through Wilder Park will notice a lot of activity surrounding the conservatory. The construction crews have prepared the work site by removing the retaining walls in front of the conservatory and building a temporary access road from the driveway along the north side of the conservatory.
With construction starting soon, everything must be cleared out of the Wilder Park Conservatory. The District is trying to save as much as possible of the conservatory plant collection.
The Conservatory is now closed in preparation for the start of construction that will begin on June 3 with an anticipated reopening in February 2014.
Located in the southwest corner of Wilder Park, Wilder Park Conservatory is home to a wide variety of plants.
