Gurnee open space project replacing flooding school nearly done
There's still work to be done on a gazebo and portions of a trail, but a new open space area replacing the flood-prone Gurnee Grade School property is nearly finished.
Built in 1954 before flood plains were mapped, the school on Kilbourne Road was a frequent target of floodwater that resulted in costly student relocations and repairs. That changed when the building was leveled in 2013 and replaced with grass and trails.
"The Gurnee Grade School property has been going through some transformation and we would like the community to celebrate with us," Gurnee Park District Public Relations Manager Jennifer Gilbert said.
To commemorate the project, park district officials will host a kickoff event at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9. The celebration will honor the reclamation of the area to open space with a ribbon cutting, a sports exhibition and outdoor recreation.
Gilbert said the entire community is invited to attend "the beginning of a new life for a historic location."
In 2008, local, state and federal governments began looking for a permanent fix to the flooding of the school due to high water on the Des Plaines River.
Officials chose to knock down the building after voters in Gurnee Elementary District 56 approved funding to build Prairie Trail School in Wadsworth.
The site was transformed into the large open space area as an addition to Viking Park, and entrusted to the Gurnee Park District.
The land has been returned to a natural setting with a rain garden, pathway with a connection point to the Lake County Forest Preserve District's Des Plaines River Trail, open space for seasonal sports, and a picnic setting with other park amenities, Gilbert said.
The paths linking to the Des Plaines River Trail are expected to be completed by the time the ribbon is cut.
The purchase of the school building and property from District 56, the demolition work and site restoration was funded with a $3.2 million federal grant administered by the state, and a $750,000 Illinois Emergency Management Agency grant. District 56 and Gurnee Park District also put money into the project.
"The park is dedicated to the students, staff, and community members who were part of Gurnee Grade School's 170-year history," said Susie Kuruvilla, executive director of the Gurnee Park District.