Officials of the River Forest Tennis Club took the first step toward installing lights on their tennis courts at the Oct. 14 village board meeting.
Although no vote was taken, village officials instructed staff members to continue with the planned development process that would lead to the installation of lights on the tennis courts at the club that occupies a one square block at 615 Lathrop.
In his presentation Oct. 14, Elias Yanaki, club member and project lead, said club officials want to add lights to “maximize the time families can spend with their children.”
He explained that the lights would only be on when courts are in use and limited to between 6 and 10 p.m. Club members will be provided with a code that will allow them to turn the lights on and off. Staff members will monitor the lights’ use and turn them off if they see that a court is not in use.
Yanaki said light technology is “vastly superior” to what was available in the past and what is planned will be anti-glare LED lights. He also said the lights will be on 30-foot high poles, which is lower than typical.
He also said additional security cameras would be installed.
Officials expressed concern about communicating the proposed changes to neighbors, suggesting that letters be sent to those living up to 1,000 feet from the club instead of the usual 500 feet.
Yanaki said club officials do not expect the changes to increase traffic because the majority of its members walk or ride bicycles to the club. He also noted that the club is only open from April until the first snowfall, which can occur as early as September but generally occurs in October.
The next step in the process will be to conduct a pre-filing conference with the development review board.
According to the club’s website, the club has been “a summer vacation-at-home spot” for its members since 1905. The outdoor club offers 10 clay courts for tennis; a collegiate-size swimming pool; and a wide expanse of lawn for play, parties and events. The Frank Lloyd Wright designed clubhouse is a gathering spot for summer dinners and entertainment.
The original location, with six grass courts, was on the north half of a parcel of land at Lake Street, Harlem Avenue, Quick Avenue and Bonnie Brae Place. A simple clubhouse was built two months after the club was organized. It opened on July 4, 1905.
A fire in 1906 destroyed the first clubhouse and Wright supervised the building of what is now the west two-thirds of the present clubhouse. Kitchen facilities were added for picnic suppers.
When the Cook County Forest Preserve Commission in 1920 acquired the land the club occupied, the club purchased a vacant parcel at 615 Lathrop. The clubhouse was cut into three sections and moved it to its new foundation. Ten clay courts were constructed and trees and shrubs were added to the grounds.
A modest swimming pool was constructed in 1937, to be replaced in 1955 by a much larger pool.