Glendale Heights drafting plan to improve parks

Glendale Heights officials this summer are hoping to approve a long-term plan for improving the village's parks.

This week, Hitchcock Design Group presented a preliminary draft of proposed improvements to the village's 21 parks suggested by community and staff focus groups.

Early next month, village officials will visit all the parks to evaluate what upgrades are needed.

"It might encourage more thought," said Cecelia Sullivan, the village's parks, recreation and facilities director.

The village is expected to have the park improvement plan finalized and approved by June.

If the plan is adopted, the goal would be to improve all the proposed upgrades to the parks within 10 years.

"It really will depend on the amount of (work) the board wants to do," Sullivan said.

Funding and the economy will be key factors in determining what projects village leaders pursue - and how long all the work will take.

"(The board) will be careful with the spending, especially in these times," Sullivan said. "Whatever the budget can handle."

Separate from the ongoing study is a planned reconstruction of Reskin Park at the end of May.

Reskin Park, a 5-acre park located at 495 E. Fullerton Ave., was named after Harold Reskin who founded the village in the 1970s.

The upgrades to the park are being paid for, in part, with grant money Glendale Heights received from the federal government in 2006.

Although Reskin still will be evaluated, little to no work will be done to the park as part of the overall park improvement plan.

If residents have input or suggestions, they can submit comments online at www.glendaleheights.org/parksrecreation/.