Knoch Park Central Maintenance Facility Grand Opening Set for June 17

The community is invited to the grand opening of the Knoch Park Central Maintenance Facility at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 17. Following a brief ceremony with remarks and a ribbon cutting, guests will have the opportunity to tour the new building and enjoy refreshments.

Designed with a barn motif, the building is being constructed on the site of the former Barn Recreation Center and the Park District maintenance shed, which was located behind the Barn. An interpretive sign will be installed in the lobby of the maintenance facility commemorating the history of the Barn.

The new maintenance facility will enable Park District staff to take care of hundreds of acres of ball fields and open space, trails and other favorite park amenities more efficiently for the community. Space in the facility also will be available for use by residents and park visitors, including a public lobby and vestibule with restrooms and an outdoor picnic patio. Additionally, the parking lot will be open to park visitors during evenings and on weekends.

The facility includes vehicle bays for the District's fleet department, repair shops for the trades department, maintenance shops for the central parks department, and space for Park District police. The maintenance yard located on the east side of the building will include storage bins for materials, vehicle parking and two fueling stations.

Sustainable design practices guided the design and construction of the facility, which includes LED lighting throughout, an efficient heating and cooling system, drought-tolerant landscaping, and permeable pavers in part of the parking lot. Additionally, one of the fueling stations will dispense propane fuel, supporting the District's energy-efficient fleet.