The parks in Oak Park have been pesticide free for two decades now. And it looks like it.
The weeds are winning. Now, in a typically measured response, the park district is extraordinarily carefully allowing the use of one pesticide in extremely prescribed areas. District staff can now use Roundup to kill weeds between decorative bricks, in sidewalk cracks and along cracks in tennis courts. It can also be used on the clay portion of baseball infields, though not currently on the weed-infested infields themselves.
This is a prudent response to a chronic problem. The ban itself was an overreaction. Returning to widespread application throughout the parks would be a serious error. This middle place is about right.