Park master plan is lively reading

Park master plan is lively reading

I was glad to see the Daily Herald’s prominent coverage on Jan. 15 of the master plan for Lake Ellyn, which was presented in its final form that evening and accepted by the Glen Ellyn Park District board. Christopher Placek followed up with a report on the meeting and some of the discussion.

This master plan has been the best work I’ve seen from the park district since I moved here in 2008. The process began with a survey created and conducted by competent consultants, supplemented with focus groups and open for comments. This process identified the critical areas of public and user concerns and interests. The planning and design consultants interviewed the staff and others, surveyed the park with its lake and facilities, and used available historical records to present the information at several meetings in recent months. Their horticulturalists, hydrologists and architects spent time at these meetings discussing the facts and the possibilities. Many of us came away not only understanding our park and lake better than we ever had, but with a wealth of information about our local trees, plants, watershed and beloved historic Boathouse.

With continuing public interest and comment, the park board can now evaluate particular portions of the desirable improvements, taking into consideration both costs and the wishes of the community. Lake Ellyn is a small park, but an important feature of the village and valuable to the quality of our lives. Some of its beauty comes from its complexity — slopes, woods, water, play areas, the Boathouse, its place in the watershed from village streets through forest preserve to the river.

If you care about it, you will probably find the master plan, available on the park district website, quite lively reading.

Edna E Heatherington

Glen Ellyn