The Park District of Oak Park enters the final installment of their village-wide master planning process as they begin collecting input from village residents for the Stevenson Park Master Plan at a community meeting next Wednesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at the Stevenson Center.
The process will be similar to previous master plans at Oak Park’s other parks. Community meetings will be held for input, along with planning meetings between the park district staff and park restoration contractors. The park district will also distribute community questionnaires designed to gather additional feedback from residents.
The Park District Board of Commissioners will consider this final plan at their meeting on July 21 if all goes according to schedule.
Another master plan project is currently underway at Taylor Park. Phase one of the improvement project, which includes the reconstruction of six tennis courts, the construction of a new playground, and the installation of a wetlands area, kicked off on April 4. The project is expected to be completed by the fall.
The board is also moving ahead with plans for the facilities at Ridgeland Common.
A group including board member Jessica Bullock, members of the Park District Citizen Committee (PDCC), and park district staff members met with representatives from Nagle Hartray Architects (NHA) last month to discuss the two project options: Repair and maintain the existing buildings, or completely rebuild the ice skating rink and swimming pool facilities.
At their meeting on April 7, the board considered a proposal from NHA to begin a conceptual design project that will help to determine which option will work best for the village. The project would include cost estimates for each option. The total price tag for the design project is approximately $139,000.
“This would take us to the next level to be able to make a better decision,” said Executive Director Gary Balling, who added that the project would be funded by Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) money. “The dollars are there within the budget to get started,” he said.
But Bullock said the park district should be careful not to let the Ridgeland Common project get further stalled. “We’re investing a lot more money in a study and at the end of the day, we need to be able to move forward,” she said. “I think having a target is kind of critical.”
The park board also appointed Julie MacCarthy to be a member of the Park District Citizen Committee (PDCC). MacCarthy was originally a candidate for the board of commissioners in the April elections, but dropped out in February, stating that her current commitments wouldn’t allow adequate time to devote to the board.
As a member of the PDCC, MacCarthy will help oversee the park district’s master planning process and act as a liaison between the park district and the residents of Oak Park.