Playground improvements slated for two Vernon Hills parks

Playground equipment at two neighborhood parks in Vernon Hills will be replaced as part of an ongoing program.

Various options will be presented to residents Saturday at 9 a.m. at Stone Fence Farm Park, 224 Stone Fence Road, and at 10:30 a.m. at Augusta Park, at 210 Augusta Drive, just east of Aspen Drive.

Playgrounds typically are replaced every 15 to 18 years, and the district has an ongoing plan in which it does a minimum of two playgrounds a year, according to Jeff Fougerousse, executive director.

The park board has selected Nu Toys as the vendor for Stone Fence Farm, and Parkcreation for Augusta. Each will have representatives at the respective meetings to discuss three or four options.

"Hopefully, we'll get some consensus and direction of what people want to see," Fougerousse said.

All playground equipment will be replaced at Stone Fence Farm, while only that used by 2 to 5 year olds will be replaced at Augusta. Budgets for the work are $80,000 and $30,000 respectively, Fougerousse said.

Besides the type of equipment, the most common question with this type of work is the color selection, he added.

"There are probably 50 different colors you can select from," he said.

Both neighborhood parks are small and serve as detention areas to store water during wet periods. The playground replacement is expected to be completed by late October or early November.

Stone Fence Farm Park is 3.77 acres north of Route 45 and has a footbridge over the Seavey Ditch that connects to Kelli Garvanian Park. It is one of the few parks in the system that has a pergola.

Augusta Park is 2.33 acres, which was donated to the district in 1981. In 2004, it was the first to have the wood chips on the playground replaced with shredded rubber. Augusta, Stone Fence Farm and Torrey Pines Park are the only three in the system with shredded rubber.