District 203 superintendent supports two garden options

Naperville Unit District 203's top administrator wants additional athletic fields to be created within walking distance of Naperville Central High School.

Superintendent Alan Leis says he will recommend the school board next week support either of two plans that would move some West Street garden plots to the south side of the city to make room for several athletic fields virtually across the street from Central.

"Our parents have sent a clear message to us they do not like the idea of being bused to another location," Leis said. "This provides additional fields ... needed in central Naperville by us and youth athletic leagues."

The school district and Naperville Park District have been discussing options for addressing Central's shortage of athletic fields for several months. That perceived shortage results from Central's relatively small site, the impending loss of leased property nearby and a growing number of state-sanctioned sports.

But the issue has sparked intense debate from gardeners and school parents alike and there has been no shortage of input from both.

The first option Leis supports calls for creating two full-sized fields and one smaller one on the north side of the existing downtown garden plots site. The plan would result in 364 plots remaining on that property, although some would be moved internally. Another 332 plots would be created on the south side of the city at either DuPage River Park or Southwest Community Park.

Gardeners however, have expressed a number of concerns about moving their plots, including soil quality at the alternate parks, cost, driving time, safety and losing the sense of community among gardeners who have been working on the same plots for many years.

The second option Leis supports, called 1A, is meant to be a compromise. It would create two athletic fields on the southern portion of the garden plots site while allowing 478 out of 590 plots to remain at West Street, again relocating some within the property. Roughly 332 would be created at one of the aforementioned south side parks.

Leis said Option 1A would be not be as convenient as the original but it's a good compromise that would allow the 71 percent of gardeners who have said they would only garden at West Street to continue to do so, albeit possibly in a new plot.

School board President Suzyn Price said she likes the idea of presenting two options to the park board and based on her conversations with Leis, "either of those plans addresses our needs for students and ameliorates the impact on the gardeners."

Both options cost about $500,000 for the school district to develop the fields and $250,000 for the park district to create new garden plots.

Leis said the district has always had the necessary funds built into its facilities budget. Taxpayers approved a $43 million tax increase earlier this year to help fund $114.9 million in projects around the district, including an $87.7 million renovation to Central.

In response to criticism that the district shouldn't be spending that much money during tough times in the economy, he said it will soon lose land it leases from Naperville Cemetery and delaying construction of fields would not be beneficial.

"We made a commitment to the community to improve facilities and it doesn't make sense to do it piecemeal," Leis said. "We're doing what we were authorized to do and we've been able to do it even by abating taxes, so we've been good stewards of the money taxpayers gave us."

The school board will vote on Leis' recommendation when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at the administrative center, 203 W. Hillside Road. The park board will likely take up the issue in January, potentially followed by the city council.

Park district Executive Director Ray McGury isn't making a recommendation to his park board until the school board has weighed in, but says he must find a balance between athletes, gardeners and the interests of the many other groups that use the fields. He is currently leaning toward Option 1A.

"I hope the gardeners understand their program is one of hundreds we offer here and I'm trying to do the best I can for everybody," he said.

Other options include moving Central teams to a field used by youth football leagues at Knoch Park; using another District 203, park district or leased site; or creating athletic fields at DuPage River Park or Nike Park.