Naperville unveils new Central Park plans
Naperville planners are recommending more open space, enhanced concert seating and more efficient parking configurations at Central Park, according to plans released Friday.
The city has been studying possible improvements for the park along Benton Avenue just east of Washington Street in the downtown area and created a draft master plan.
"The plan proposes to maintain primary park uses in the general location where they currently exist, but we feel Central Park will be a more efficient, accommodating and attractive park," community planner Jason Zawila said.
The 3.8-acre site is known for playing host to Naperville Municipal Band concerts and has undergone several improvements in recent years, including walkways with better handicapped accessibility, new playground equipment and landscaping.
In January, the city released three concept plans created by Hitchcock Design Group for future improvements and asked the community for input through surveys and public meetings. The draft master plan is a mixture of those three, according to Zawila.
He said the main goals were keeping the park consistent with the history and image of downtown, maintaining a balance between open space and parking, providing both a quality performance venue and passive open space and improving the park's connection to the downtown.
Some of the plan recommendations have alternate ideas as well, which will be voted on next week by the Downtown Advisory Commission.
The plan increases open space by 22 percent. It also provides 82 parking spaces in a more efficient traffic pattern with angled spaces on Court Place and room for drop-offs.
Alternatives to the recommendation are to keep Court Place two-way with head-in parking or making it one-way going north.
The draft master plan also calls for the Community Concert Center to have a concrete terrace similar to the Riverwalk amphitheater. There will be space for movable benches for added flexibility as well, providing a total of 300 to 600 seats. An improved sound system and handicapped accessibility are recommended, too.
Portable washrooms would remain, at least for the short-term.
Alternates to this recommendation include limited fixed seating, a roofed structure over the support area or a stand-alone support facility with washrooms, concessions and maintenance facilities.
The city's Downtown Advisory Commission will review the recommendations at a workshop at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.
The plan then will go to the city council for approval, likely in April, followed by the park board. Cost estimates are still being calculated but will be available in time for the council meeting.
The full plan is available for viewing at naperville.il.us/centralparkplan.aspx.