Mt. Prospect to give Kensington Center a spruce

Mount Prospect is stepping up efforts to pump new life into the Kensington Business Center.

The village wants to make the center more attractive to businesses and turn it into more of an economic engine, so this week the village board hired an engineer to do design and construction work on the jogging path and on making lighting improvements at the approximately 30-year-old business center.

Gewalt Hamilton Associates, Inc. was hired at a cost not to exceed $91,100.

Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said that when Kensington was developed, the village assumed responsibilities for certain assets at the park, including maintenance of the jogging path, which connects the west side of the park to the east side and has fingers to the north and south.

The improvements have been split into three phases - Phase 1, west of Feehanville Drive, Phase 2, between Feehanville and Business Center Drive and Phase 3, east of Business Center Drive. The first two phases are scheduled to be constructed in 2015.

Dorsey said the jogging path is deteriorating.

"Water - the freeze-thaw cycle - has won the battle," Dorsey said.

The lighting system is also having numerous wiring failures, he said.

"We do anticipate having to replace all of the wiring," he said.

Dorsey said people have said the six-foot path is narrow. He said that if the intention is for a shared-use path that accommodates bicycles as well as joggers, the minimum width should be eight feet.

"This is a definite improvement," said Trustee Richard Rogers. "I think it's going to help the park. Next to Randhurst, (Kensington) is probably the second best jewel we have here in the village."

Trustee John Matuszak said he travels through the area frequently and is impressed by the number of people walking the path.

"This is a good investment I think for our community," he added. "This is a path that will be used once it's redeveloped."

Mayor Arlene Juracek said the improvements will make the business park more attractive.

"Any company now that has a group insurance plan also has a wellness plan," she said. "Here we have a more enjoyable opportunity, a more appropriate opportunity, for wellness programs to be implemented."