Lisle Park District News

Projects in Lisle Park District Parks - Updated 8/29/11
Any questions can be directed to Superintendent of Parks & Facilities Aaron Cerutti at acerutti@lisleparkdistrict.org

May 20, 2011

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

The Lisle Park District's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 is now available.  Click here to view the CAFR.

April 25, 2011

Woodglenn Park Updates

The Woodglenn Park development is nearly complete. The pavilion, playground, parking lot and pathways are complete and the majority of the plant material has been installed. The remaining 35-40 trees and shrubs will be installed this spring. The installation of the plant plugs for the detention and wetland areas will be installed this spring as well, as will the interpretive signage, park benches, picnic tables and lightening detection system.

While the turf has begun to come in, it is not nearly ready for use. History has shown that establishing a strong, resilient stand of turf can take a year or more, particularly in areas designed as athletic fields. As such, the park district will prohibit access to the athletic areas until the spring of 2012. Signage will be posted accordingly and temporary chain link fencing has be installed to render the fields unusable. Please, if anyone is seen on the athletic field portions of the park, whether walking their dog, playing Frisbee, hitting golf balls, or heaven forbid playing soccer, baseball, lacrosse, football, etc., please notify the park district immediately. We need to manage the site with vigilance to ensure the turf is fully established and growing with vigor prior to allowing any access to these areas. The rest of the park will be fully usable upon installation of the benches, tables, lightening detection system, etc. in the spring.

The Woodglenn Park development has been a long time in the making and the community has made a significant investment in its creation. We trust you appreciate our approach and hope you can help be our eyes and ears out there.

Thank you for your cooperation.

THE LISLE PARK DISTRICT

March 18, 2011

Short Street Bridge Closure Beginning Wed., Mar. 30, 2011
We have all been wishing and ready for spring to arrive and with it comes the long-awaited Short Street Bridge renovation. The Village of Lisle has been planning the replacement and temporary closing of the Short Street Bridge for repairs for several years and anticipates that the bridge closure will be in effect until mid-September 2011.

The bridge is scheduled to close starting Wednesday, March 30, 2011 and a detour route has been established to utilize: Route 53, Maple Avenue, Yackley Avenue and Ohio Street to access the Park District Community Center, Community Park Fitness, Sea Lion Aquatic Park and Community Park during the bridge closure.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact the Village of Lisle at (630) 271-4100.
 

March 3, 2011

Notice: Invitation to Bid
Click here to download Notice

February 28, 2011

Online Parks Survey - We want to hear from you!
Please take a few minutes to leave feedback regarding any of the Lisle Park District's parks.  We'd love to hear from you! Click here to fill out the survey form

January 5, 2011

Woodglenn Park Update
Woodglenn Park is substantially complete. We still have a small amount of work to finish this coming spring. The park is open to use of the pathways, playground, and shelter areas, weather permitting. However, all of the plant material in the park was installed very late in the season, and is highly susceptible to damage from use, even at this time of the year. Due to the fragile nature of the recently planted vegetation, we are asking all patrons to please stay on the paved areas of the park to prevent excessive premature damage to the grass and vegetation. Please call the main office at 630-964-3410 to report any unauthorized use of the turf areas that may cause damage, such as athletic games and sledding.

November 12, 2010

Woodglenn Park Update
Woodglenn Park is 95% complete. The playground area will be completed by Thanksgiving and in the spring of 2011 approximately 40 trees and native plugs will be planted.  Please note, the soccer field will not be open for use until the spring of 2012 when the grass has taken root.

September 17, 2010

Community Wide Survey Results

Leisure Vision Presentation

Community Wide Survey Findings and Report

September 8, 2010

A letter from the Director

As you are aware, the Lisle Park District leases the Meadows Center from Lisle Community Unit School District 202.  The 45 year-old building’s condition and physical limitations coupled with the building’s increasing cost to lease and operate have been reasons the park district has considered other indoor recreation options.  These other options included a failed $21.9 million referendum attempt in 2008 for a new community center and researching the acquisition of various vacant facilities throughout Lisle over the past 18 months.

You may have heard that the Lisle Park District is in the process of acquiring the building located at 1925 Ohio Street, directly west of the park district’s Community Center at 1825 Short Street.  This 39,800 square foot facility is currently occupied by Micro Sun Technologies and Amphenol Corporation, and is used for office space and light manufacturing.  Our vision, should this acquisition become a reality, is that the 1925 Ohio Street facility will become home to the park district’s administrative offices, preschool and many of the district’s early childhood and general interest programs.  The existing Community Center on Short Street will continue to house the park district’s fitness center, but will also become home to the district’s 50+ active adults programs, fitness & wellness classes, and other community multi-purpose space. 

We understand this is a far cry from the $21.9 million, 86,000 square foot facility presented for referendum in 2008.   After much consideration, the Board of Park Commissioners and park district staff believes this is a more appropriate and practical solution to the park district’s indoor programming space challenges.  This transition will be funded through the district’s current debt service extension base and will not increase the tax rate currently being assessed.   Because the 1925 Ohio Street property is directly adjacent to the existing Community Center and Community Park, the opportunities to grow and expand are vast and can be accommodated one step at a time, when the community is ready, willing, and able to support them.  Acquiring this property will fulfill the park district’s immediate needs and provide for countless opportunities in the future.

As for the anticipated timeline, the park district has gone through negotiations with the owner and has recently executed a purchase and sale agreement; however, the purchase is contingent upon a number of factors.  Primary among these contingencies is a favorable environmental site assessment.  This assessment will provide the park district with a professional opinion concerning the likelihood of any potentially hazardous environmental conditions on or around the property.  The park district’s primary objective, regardless of program, facility, or activity, is to provide a safe environment for our patrons and guests.  If this report identifies any significant environmental concern the park district will suspend its pursuit of the building until a mutually agreeable remediation occurs.  Another contingency tied to this acquisition is securing a special use permit from the Village of Lisle.  Because the site is located in an I-1 Industrial zoning district, a special use permit must be granted from the Village of Lisle to allow for recreational activities.  The village has previously granted similar requests for industrial zoned properties, including permits to Pump It Up and Walker Athletics.  The Village of Lisle Planning and Zoning Commission will hear this request at their meeting scheduled for September 15.  Should the Village of Lisle grant a permit for special use and should the environmental assessment reveal no recognizable conditions, the park district will begin detailed planning for interior renovations.  These renovations will occur from April through August with the goal of beginning the 2011-12 Gentle Learning Preschool year in this newly renovated facility.

We have informed the school district of our plans and should the acquisition of 1925 Ohio Street become a reality the park district will vacate the Meadows Center building next fall.  It is the park district’s desire to continue to maintain and program the parkland adjacent to the Meadows Center, including the playground, ball fields and other open turf areas indefinitely.  We value the open space there and will act with diligence to ensure its continued availability and use, understanding however the school district owns and controls the future use of the property.

We hope you embrace this terrific opportunity to improve and expand indoor programming space for the Lisle Park District.  The 1925 Ohio Street site will be much more accessible, secure, modern, and appropriate for all types of programming, both current and future.  We are truly looking forward to completing the acquisition process and beginning this exciting new chapter for the Lisle Park District.   If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at 630-353-4310.

Sincerely,

THE LISLE PARK DISTRICT

Dan Garvy

Director of Parks & Recreation

Direct Line:  630-353-4310

July 7, 2010

Community Wide Survey

If you happen to be one of those randomly selected for our Community Wide Survey, please take a few minutes to complete the survey and send it back to Leisure Vision in the accompanying postage paid envelope. 

Leisure Vision will be making a formal presentation to the park district upon completion of the process highlighting the results of the survey.  This presentation is tentatively scheduled for August.   The results of this survey will serve as an integral planning tool over the next 3-5 years as the park district considers the allocation of its resources. Thank you for your continued support!

July 6, 2010

Woodglenn Park Update:

Anyone with specific questions about the project is encouraged to contact superintendent of parks Aaron Cerutti.

June 21, 2010

Woodglenn Park Update:

At their meeting on June 16, the Lisle Park District Board of Park Commissioners awarded the contract for the Woodglenn Park Development project.  The contract was awarded to Benchmark Construction, a general contractor out of Bartlett, Illinois,  in an amount not to exceed $905,897.17; $194,000 under budget.  Construction is scheduled to begin during the week of July 5th, however you may see some staging begin during the week of June 28th.  The project schedule still calls for substantial completion in October.  Anyone with specific questions about the project is encouraged to contact superintendent of parks Aaron Cerutti.