Wheeling park's 'wow' factor after $33.5 million project
The construction fencing was still up, the asphalt was still wet and the new sod was still taking root during a recent visit, but Heritage Park in Wheeling finally will open June 7 after a $33.5 million project decades in the making.
Most of the 100-acre Wheeling Park District site shut down for two years for the two-pronged project — bringing both a major renovation and flooding relief for Des Plaines River towns.
“For this to all come together is a huge benefit not only for the flood control, but also the recreational benefits,” parks Executive Director Jan Buchs said during a tour for the Daily Herald ahead of the public unveiling.
Crews this week will continue to put the last touches on the park, which used to have some paths, open space and athletic fields — “nowhere near what it is today,” Buchs said.
Today, it boasts a sports complex and concession stand; a Ravinia-style, outdoor performance pavilion; walking trails; picturesque, stone seating along a bigger lake; more conveniently located parking; and a new entrance off Wolf Road.
“It's a huge wow factor,” Buchs said.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago paid for the lion's share of the work, while the park district kicked in about $3.5 million. “Independently, we could never have provided this type of park,” Buchs said.
Athletes already have been using the sports complex's four athletic fields, circling around the concession stand, since last year.
All have artificial surfaces and are playable in the rain. Three of the four are geared toward baseball and soccer, with the fourth and largest geared toward multiple sports. Nearby are grass fields for soccer, opening June 7.
To the west of the complex is a new band shell, where a summer concert series and movie screenings will begin June 10 and 19, respectively.
Spectators are encouraged to park their lawn chairs and picnic baskets on a sloped, grassy lawn overlooking Heritage Lake.
“We wanted something unique that you don't see in a lot of community parks,” Superintendent of Planning Larry Raffel said.
The lake was expanded to a surface area of 100 acres to provide additional stormwater retention.
But the major sources of “dramatic” flooding relief for communities downstream on the Des Plaines River — Des Plaines, Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights — are large basins that retain and systematically release water in the event of major storms, Raffel said.
After a plan to build a Lake County reservoir fell apart, engineers eyed Heritage Park to store water that overflows the banks of Buffalo Creek, a tributary to the river, and to offset water displaced by a completed Levy 37, which blocks water from flowing into residential neighborhoods in Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights.
The six basins at Heritage Park are capable of holding 49 million gallons of stormwater.
While initial plans called for building tennis courts, Buchs said that part of the proposal has been dropped and a second phase of construction will likely add basketball courts and a playground. The park district, Buchs said, is in the midst of planning and seeking feedback from users about other possible features.
With an aquatic and fitness center located nearby, the idea is to cater to residents' recreational interests on one campus.
“It's a great destination here in Wheeling,” she said.