As they narrowed down their list Thursday night of possible names for the future gymnastics center on Lake Street, the Park District of Oak Park board eliminated the option that included the name of the former executive director.
“We all loved the idea of naming it after Gary [Balling],” said board President Christine Graves, but they didn’t want to overrule a 2003 policy that calls for waiting at least five years before naming anything after a former official. Graves said after that period, it’s possible the center could bear Balling’s name.
The board will now decide between the Oak Park Gymnastics & Recreation Center and the Oak Park Community Recreation Center, Home of Oak Park Gymnastics.
Construction on the new facility — which the village recently told the park board was actually located at 21 Lake Street instead of 25 — will start in October. Park staff anticipates six construction bids will be submitted and the board will make a recommendation on one at their Sept. 20 meeting.
At the same meeting, the board will present their recommendation for one of three contractor bids to renovate the Cheney Mansion waterfall garden, and for one of four bids for grading and landscaping improvements to the sledding hill at Barrie Park.
In other meeting business Thursday, staff at americaneagle.com presented to the board their proposal to redesign the park district website. The redesign will cost $57,150, according to the meeting packet, and Graves said it would take 6-8 months.
