Visitors invited to review, provide feedback at open house events
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is hosting two open house events on June 7 and June 12 to seek public input on its proposed clubhouse designs for the newly-renovated The Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison.
The first open house will be on Wednesday, June 7 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Addison Village Hall, 1 Friendship Plaza, Addison; the second one will be Monday, June 12 from 4 – 6 p.m. in the board room at District headquarters, 3S580 Naperville Rd., in Wheaton.
The open house events will start with presentations of two design concepts at 6:15 p.m. June 7, and 4:15 p.m. June 12, after which District staff and consultants will answer questions and listen to comments from attendees.
Elmhurst-based Daniel Wohlfeil Design Ltd. designed multiple options for the clubhouse to potentially accommodate various events and programs. The open house materials will be available on the District’s website, dupageforest.org, and the DuPage golf website, dupagegolf.com, from June 8 ‒ 29.
“Oak Meadows has a great history and has been an important part of the community for a long time,” said Forest Preserve District Commissioner Marsha Murphy, District 1. “We want to make sure the new building can serve the needs of golfers and other visitors for many years to come.”
“The property has undergone an incredible transformation that improves wetlands and water storage and provides the public with an amazing new golf course,” said Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President Joe Cantore. “We’re excited to add a quality structure that will complement the improvements to the landscape.”
History of the structure, plans for summer
The original 50,000-square-foot Oak Meadows clubhouse, which was destroyed by fire in 2009, was designed to serve the private membership of the former Elmhurst Country Club. Rather than replicate amenities from the private club era, the District’s design team hopes to take a fresh perspective that will better meet the needs of a public facility. The new clubhouse will likely have a pro shop, grill area and locker rooms, but the District hopes to also include space for functions, District educational programs and other events.
The Preserve at Oak Meadows will reopen for golf this summer after undergoing a major environmental restoration project to improve stormwater management, provide greater water quality in Salt Creek, enhance habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and provide the public with a premier 18-hole public golf destination rivaling any in the Midwest.
Only 15 percent of the 288 acres is dedicated to fairways, greens and teeing areas. Future improvements will also include a connection to the regional Salt Creek Greenway Trail, making the area accessible to hikers, joggers and bicyclists.
