Splash pads and grocery store receipts had the attention of River Forest officials at the April 14 village board meeting.
Following a presentation by Mike Sletten, executive director of the River Forest Park District, about the proposed renovation of Priory Park, officials gave their support for staff members to continue working with park district officials on the planned development process for the project.
Officials also voted unanimously to implement a municipal grocery retailers’ occupation tax and a municipal grocery service occupation tax.
During his presentation, Sletten explained the key elements to the renovation of the park at 7354 Division St. would be the addition of a splash pad, expansion of the existing center and construction of a picnic shelter. The estimated cost of the project is $800,000, for which Sletten said park district officials have allocated capital improvement funds. The renovation plan has been developed over a four-year period.
He said officials expect to start the project in mid-August with a completion date in December.
The grand opening would be held on Memorial Day 2026.
The 1,700 square foot splash pad is designed for children up to eight years old although it will be available to all age groups. There will be a combination of above ground features and spray jets out of the ground. The current plan has 18 features on the splash pad which will be located to the east of the Priory Center. The surface will be stamped and colored concrete. A four-foot-wide concrete sidewalk goes around the perimeter of the splash pad.
A 700 square foot addition on the south side of the center would increase the center footprint to 1,000 square feet. The addition will provide the park with a program room that will be used as a summer camp and program site. The new program room will not be available to splash pad users although the center’s restrooms still will be available to the public. The exterior of the addition will match the current building and the roof will be architectural shingles. There will be no changes to the restrooms although Sletten seemed receptive to a suggestion that benches be placed in the restrooms to accommodate children changing out of wet swimsuits.
In addition, a 10-foot-by-10-foot picnic shelter with a picnic table is planned, along with additional picnic tables and benches around the splash pad and a new drinking fountain that will provide the option of filling water bottles and dog bowls.
The next step in the process is to conduct a pre-filing conference with the village’s Development Review Board at a future date.
The 1% grocery tax, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, is designed to replace revenue that the village stood to lose when Illinois officials eliminated the state’s 1% grocery tax in August 2024. That action also takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.
In a memo to officials, Matt Walsh, village administrator, and Rosey McAdams, finance director, explained the state’s action allows municipalities to adopt a local ordinance to maintain the grocery tax revenue.
They said the grocery tax is a “significant source of revenue for village operations,” noting River Forest is home to a Jewel-Osco store and a Whole Foods Market.
“Over the past 12 months, River Forest has received approximately $1,283,404 in grocery tax revenue,” Walsh and McAdams said. “This figure represents approximately 6.1 percent of the village’s general fund revenues that fund daily village operations and services. Forgoing the grocery tax would have a significant negative impact on the general fund and its future projections. There are no sources of revenue available to replace the loss of grocery tax income other than significant increases to our property taxes, which is not recommended.”
In response to questions from Trustee Erika Bachner, Walsh and McAdams said convenience stores in the village will charge the grocery tax on food items and the larger grocery stores will not charge the grocery tax on non-food items such as school supplies.
Eliminating the grocery tax had municipal leaders led by the Illinois Municipal League complaining that it would hurt local budgets. State leaders were not giving anything up with the change because the tax only went to local governments. The option for municipalities to add their own tax was a compromise. Illinois will join 37 other states that don’t have a state grocery tax. It was the only state among the 10 most populated with a grocery tax.