Here’s what’s happening at the Elmhurst Park District
Elmhurst — The Elmhurst Park District Board held a regular meeting on Sept. 23 at the district’s administrative office at 375 W. First Street. All seven park board commissioners participated in the meeting. Commissioner Doug Ennis took part in the meeting via telephone. The entire meeting lasted about three hours.
More stormwater discussion…
• The meeting included a discussion of the park district’s ongoing negotiations with the City of Elmhurst regarding its plans to construct storm water detention facilities at park district sites, including York Commons and Golden Meadows.
The park district and the city are trying to agree on terms of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) regarding construction of the detention facilities. Representatives from the park district and the city met on Sept. 10 during a meeting of the storm water subcommittee, which features representatives from the city, park district and Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205. The park district’s representatives on the committee are Commissioner Kevin Graf, Commissioner Vince Spaeth and Elmhurst Park District Executive Director Jim Rogers.
Speaking at the Sept. 23th park board meeting, Rogers noted that the Sept. 10 meeting with representatives from the city was more contentious than previous meetings. Rogers said the city remains firm in its desire to include five park district sites in the IGA. Those sites include York Commons, Golden Meadows, Wild Meadows Trace, East End Park and Crestview Park.
Commissioner Graf also described the Sept. 10 meeting with the City as “contentious.” Graf noted that the park district has allowed the City to build a storm water detention basin at York Commons, as well as detention basins at Golden Meadows and Wild Meadows Trace. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has input regarding construction of basins at those park district sites and considers plans on a case-by-case basis.
Graf said the park district wanted to get shovels in the ground on the projects to construct storm water detention basins at the sites that had been approved by the park district, including York Commons. Rogers stated that the park district is not against storm water facilities at Crestview Park and East End Park, but the district has not fully researched and vetted the proposals for detention facilities at those two locations. Rogers said that he was not comfortable asking the park district board to allow a detention basin at Crestview Park when the district did not yet have enough information.
Rogers noted that the park district had insisted that an agreement with the city regarding storm water detention would include an extension of the park district’s use of the city’s maintenance facility. He stated that the city is insisting that an agreement between the two entities include the park district allowing basins at all five sites (York Commons, Golden Meadows, Wild Meadows Trace, East End Park and Crestview Park).
Commissioner Spaeth agreed with Graf that the park district is ready to put shovels in the ground to begin construction of a storm water basin at York Commons, adding that the park district’s final proposal to place a basin at the site was radically different from the terms of the city’s original proposal. Spaeth said the park district will continue to vet out the possibility of detention facilities at Crestview Park and East End Park.
“There is really absolutely nothing standing in the way of getting York Commons going,” said Board president Carolyn Ubriaco, echoing the sentiments of Graf and Spaeth. “There is absolutely no reason that we can’t put a shovel in that ground and get that pilot detention area working for the people it is intended to help. That’s a real shame.”
Playground for Everyone moving forward
Park staff gave a presentation about the proposed Playground for Everyone at Butterfield Park and the master plan for the proposed 2016 renovation of the park. Since 2015, park district staff has been researching and developing a proposal to make the new playground at the park a fully-accessible, barrier-free playground that surpasses accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The estimated cost of the proposed playground is $600,000.
In addition to replacing the playground at Butterfield Park, the district’s 2016 long range capital plan for the park includes the upgrading of drainage, as well as addressing the facility’s walking paths, tennis courts and various ADA improvements. The estimated cost of the proposed master plan for the park, not including the Playground for Everyone, is approximately $1.6 million. Based on feedback collected from residents, the plan to upgrade Butterfield Park also includes the installation of a full-court basketball court near the park’s renovated tennis courts. On Sept. 3, staff presented the conceptual plans for improving Butterfield Park to 22 residents who attended a meeting. Some of the residents at that meeting stated they were against the addition of a full-court basketball court.
Residents say neighbor communities use EPD b-ball courts
Five Elmhurst residents who live near Butterfield Park expressed concern about a basketball court attracting people from outside the Elmhurst Park District. They also asked if there was really a need or desire for a basketball court at the park. Another resident expressed concern about potential noise at night if there was a full-sized basketball court in the park.
Angela Ferrentino, who is the district’s director of parks and facilities, addressed residents’ concerns, noting that Butterfield Park was the district’s third largest facility behind Berens and Eldridge, and that the basketball courts located at the seven parks throughout the community have not experienced challenges with vandalism or crime.
Rogers stated that Butterfield Park should have a full-court basketball court. He also noted that one reason there is very little vandalism and graffiti at Elmhurst Park District facilities is because the parks are so active. He added that Butterfield Park has a 10 p.m. curfew, and that he did not anticipate any problems with the addition of the court. When commissioners asked about moving the location of the proposed court, placing it further from residences, Rogers said he would ask the project’s architects.
The proposed new playground and other improvements at the park are scheduled to begin in early July of 2016 and be completed a few months later, by the end of October. The proposed projects will be included in the proposed fiscal year 2016 capital plan, which is scheduled to be presented to the board at its meeting on Nov. 4, 2015.
The park district board will hold its next regular meeting on Oct. 14.
