Naperville gardeners unveil new plan to save their plots

Naperville gardeners have devised their own plan to create sports fields for Naperville Central High School without disrupting their garden plots.

Save the Gardens members released their concept, dubbed Option 2A, on Monday. It's the latest twist in a long-running dispute over land near downtown Naperville that long has housed community garden plots.

Naperville Unit District 203 wants part of that land to build athletic fields to serve its burgeoning sports programs at Naperville Central, but many gardeners are reluctant to move any of their plots to other locations in the city.

The latest proposal would allow Central teams to use a third field at Knoch Park that currently is used by youth football leagues. Naperville Unit District 203 then would develop two multipurpose fields at Brush Hill Park, 203 N. Whispering Hills Drive, about two miles from Central. The park district would need to create a small parking lot on site.

The new fields would be used by Central lacrosse and discus teams during the week and youth football leagues on weekends.

The original Option 2, devised by school and park officials, moved Central teams to Knoch Park but did not create additional fields.

If accepted by school and park officials, Option 2A would be the sixth plan under consideration to solve Central's shortage of athletic fields.

The most widely discussed has been Option 1, which would create fields on the north side of the current West Street site and result in 364 plots remaining on that property and 332 being created on the south side of the city at either DuPage River Park or Southwest Community Park.

But gardeners have been outspoken about the inconvenience of traveling and their concern about soil quality in those parks.

Last week officials released Option 1A as a compromise. It would create athletic fields in the southern portion of the garden plots site while allowing 478 out of 590 plots to remain at West Street, although some would be relocated within the site. Roughly 332 would be created on the south side of the city.

Elaine Fisher, a member of Save the Gardens, said she would prefer no plots be moved because the land was given to the city by the Martin Mitchell family and it should honor their farming legacy.

"We're familiar with the support District 203 already has from the park district and we feel there are other alternatives other than giving garden plots as additional support to the high school," Fisher said.

Fisher said Option 2A would save the park district the $250,000 it would spend to develop new garden plots. It also puts fields closer to Central than some other options.

But park district Executive Director Ray McGury said Brush Hill Park is "already heavily programmed."

"We are already putting not only our own programs but other sports teams like the Galaxy Soccer Club among others out there to utilize that space so once again we're in the same boat, the domino effect we've always spoken about," he said.

Other options include moving Central teams to another District 203, park district or leased site or creating athletic fields at DuPage River Park or Nike Park. But Central parents have cited safety and time concerns in busing students to get to practices each day.

Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis will announce his recommendation this week, which will be followed by a school board vote on Dec. 15.

The issue will then go to the park board for a vote. It if involves the garden plots, the city council also will have a say.