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Wheaton's Kelly Park project still on schedule

A controversial project to renovate Kelly Park in Wheaton remains on schedule as the park district awaits preliminary reviews of the plan from city and DuPage County officials.

Executive Director Mike Benard said the park district expects to meet a timeline that forecasts the start of construction as Sept. 6.

“It will move quickly once it gets started, once we get permits squared away,” he said.

Park officials are awaiting stormwater management and building permits to start work on the $754,000 project, half of which will be paid by a state grant.

City officials said initial comments have been sent to the park district regarding stormwater management components and the district must now adjust its plan and resubmit, a standard step in reaching compliance on a project.

The stormwater management permits must first be certified by DuPage County because the park sits on a flood plain.

Building officials also said they will send park officials their concerns with the preliminary plan early this week. Wheaton's Director of Building and Codes Joe Kreidl said the department's water division will send comments about the park's water use.

“We are just making sure all plans come in compliance with all pertinent rules and regulations,” he said.

In March 2010, neighbors of Kelly Park balked at the district's plans to renovate the 17-acre park at 1100 S. Main St. Among their gripes, they say the park district was not forthcoming with the community about the work.

“The community did not know about this project,” said newly elected commissioner and area resident Kim VanderSchaaf. “We found out about it in a news release and that's wrong.”

The plans will include a new 70-by-120-foot ice rink as well as a new shelter, new bicycle parking, rain garden and multisport courts.

Neighbors at the time the project was first presented said the additional amenities would lead to more congestion and traffic.

They also said new buildings will exacerbate existing flood problems.

“Wheaton has serious problems with flooding,” VanderSchaaf said. “The idea that any work can be done in a flood plain strikes us as absurd.”

However, park officials stressed work they do must meet certain stormwater management regulations. But as they work to mitigate flood concerns, VanderSchaaf said it will mean less open space in the south part of the park for residents because, she said, the park district's solution seems to be more digging at the park.

“They are not listening to what we continue to tell them,” she said. ”Had they spoken with us at the start, and not waited until after they received the grant money, they could have come up with a better plan.”

Despite the staunch opposition, Benard said he was excited to see the project's completion.

“We are confident, once it's completed, it will be universally well received,” he said. “We're looking forward to a successful project to give to the community.”

  Renovations at Kelly Park in Wheaton remain on schedule and await permit approvals. Neighbors of the park say the work will create many headaches for them and that the park district should have asked them for input. SCOTT SANDERS/ssanders@dailyherald.com