By Chris Fox
FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT
The Elmhurst Park District Board held a regular meeting on July 23 at the district’s administrative office at 375 W. First Street. Commissioner Mary Kies was absent from the meeting.
There were no public comments.
Crestview Park fencing project approved for $24,000
The board voted unanimously to approve the meeting’s consent agenda, which included the awarding of the 2018 Crestview Park Fencing Pro-Ject to Pro Fence II of Wheel-ing in the amount of $24,500. Pro Fence II was one of two firms to submit a bid for the project. It submitted the lowest responsible bid. The scope of the project includes removing and replacing the existing chain link fence at the sled hill at Crestview Park. The fence will be replaced with a chain-link fence and cedar split rail fence. The new chain link fence will be placed on the top and at the sides of the sled hill. The cedar split rail fence will be located along the bottom of the sled hill.
Potential dog park considered
The meeting included a presentation of concept plans for a potential dog park that would be developed on the property at 0S761 Old York Road. The park district’s Vision 2020 Community Needs Assessment survey identified an off-leash dog park as a high outdoor facility priority. In June, the board approved the hiring of Upland Design to provide design concepts for developing a dog park at 0S761 Old York Road. Upland Design and district staff gained community feedback about the potential dog park at recent open house events. Nearly 50 people attended a July 12 open house at The Abbey to discuss the potential dog park and exchange ideas with the design firm and the district. Michelle Kelly, Upland Design’s principal landscape architect, presented three concept plans for the potential dog park during the meeting. Kelly is scheduled to present a master plan to the park board at its Aug. 13 meeting.
Kelly noted that two buildings at the potential dog park site are in poor condition and need to come down. Some dead trees and invasive species also need to be removed from the site by using tree and bush removal services so they are done correctly without damage to the area. The potential dog park would reportedly be surrounded by 6-foot-high fencing.
One concept featured 30 parking stalls, plus two handicap-accessible stalls. Another concept featured 14 regular parking spaces and one handicap-accessible stall, with the potential to double the number of spaces. Elmhurst Park District Executive Director Jim Rogers noted that the site is located in unincorporated Elmhurst and that no Elmhurst residents would likely walk to the site if it’s developed as a dog park. He said the district has to be mindful of parking in the area. He said that if there is on-street parking at the site, it should be located on Old York Road.
Eldridge playground surfacing project awarded for $32,000
The board voted unanimously to award the Eldridge Park West Playground Surfacing Project to Perfect Turf, LLC, of Wood Dale, in the amount of about $32,000. The project, which should be completed by the end of August, includes the removal of the existing rubber surfacing, which was damaged by roots from a tree. That tree has been removed. The rubber surfacing will be replaced by synthetic turf and foam padding. Perfect Turf, LLC was the only firm to submit a bid for the project. The company completed the surfacing for the playground at Plunkett Park last year.
Waste Management contract extended three years for $45,000
The board also voted unanimously to award the waste removal and recycling services for 2019-21 to Waste Management for a three-year total of nearly $45,000. The contract calls for the collection and removal of waste and recycling materials from dumpsters at approximately 12 park locations throughout the district. Waste Manage-ment has handled the district’s waste removal and recycling services since 2012. Waste Management’s current contract with the district expires at the end of 2018. The firm submitted the lowest of three bids for the contract.
Purchase of two vehicles approved
Board members voted unanimously to approve the purchase of two vehicles through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative for a total of nearly $80,000. One of the new vehicles, a Ford F-250 Super Cab 4×4, costs about $48,000. It will replace a 2002 pickup truck that will be removed from the district’s fleet. The other new vehicle is a Ford Transit full-size cargo van that costs over $30,000. That vehicle will replace a 2006 van that will also be removed from the fleet.
Board approves easement with townhome-owners assn.
The board voted unanimously to approve an agreement for the Salt Creek Greenway Trail connection with the Astoria Place Townhome Owners Association. The district will pay the association $3,300 for a two-year temporary easement, plus a one-time payment of $10,000 to fund a vegetative landscape buffer. The district has been attempting to reach an agreement with the association for nearly 20 years. A temporary easement is needed to complete the proposed Salt Creek Greenway Trail Connection south of Butter-field Road. The district is working with an engineering firm to design a 360-foot long by 8-foot wide asphalt trail connection. A temporary construction easement with the association is needed to complete the connection. The new asphalt connection will eliminate a hazardous situation for bicyclists. The current alignment requires bicyclists to ride toward oncoming traffic on the shoulder of Brush Hill Road.
Courts Plus to close for annual maintenance
The district’s staff announcements near the end of the meeting noted that Courts Plus will be closed for annual maintenance from 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 12. The facility will reopen at 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 13. The swimming pool closed on July 30 and will reopen when the facility reopens on Aug. 13. The boiler is being replaced during the current maintenance period. There is no hot water at Courts Plus from July 30 until it reopens on Aug. 13.
Next meeting at Berens for ribbon-cutting with EC
The board will hold its next meeting on August 13. That meeting will take place at The Hub at Berens Park. Shortly before the meeting, the district will hold a ribbon-cutting with representatives from Elmhurst College to mark the recent installation of new synthetic turf at Berens Park. The district and Elmhurst College shared the cost of the new turf. The overall project cost about $900,000. The district’s share was for the project was about $675,000, while the college’s share was about $225,000.
