Glen Ellyn Park District planning for improvements

Glen Ellyn Park District is looking to spruce up many of its parks and amenities, including the historic Lake Ellyn boathouse, as part of next year's budget.

The park district's 2015 budget projects about $18.9 million in expenditures, which cover, in part, costs for several park upgrades.

One of the major projects involves about $2 million in improvements at Lake Ellyn Park, which includes the restoration of its historic boathouse.

The project includes improvements such as converting existing park sidewalks into permeable pavement and adding a sidewalk that will run parallel to Lenox Road.

The boathouse will get exterior and interior improvements, including a redesigned front entryway and bathroom and kitchen renovations.

Work is expected to start next year and continue in 2016, Executive Director Dave Harris said.

Another major project outlined in next year's budget calls for improvements to Newton Park, which center on the $1 million installation of a new turf field and tennis court repairs that cost about $55,000.

Harris said the synthetic turf will replace the natural grass in a park football field. To help pay for the turf, the park district will use funds provided by Glenbard High School District 87 in exchange for use of park district property.

"A synthetic turf field would allow us to increase the usage of that property ... both in the fall and spring and the summer as well," Harris said. "With our increasing demand on our athletic fields ... this gives us much more opportunity to satisfy those growing needs."

Another major improvement will occur at the Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, where the park district will be using $627,000 to replace the parking lot in front of the fitness hub with permeable pavement. Most of that money will be coming from a grant.

"That parking lot is in disrepair and has been for years," Harris said.

Among the other improvements, some fixes slated for next year include pond repairs at the Holes & Knolls Miniature Golf Course, which are projected to cost $60,000; installing a new energy-efficient filter for the lap pool at Sunset Park, which clocks in at $55,000; and splash pad repairs at Village Green Park, which total $35,000.