Naperville sports fields getting name

It’s more common these days for park districts to rename fields and parks than for new parks to be created and named.

The Naperville Park District gets to do both this season with the unveiling and naming of the two fields created in the fall of 2009, when the district reduced the number of garden plots along West Street to accommodate Naperville Central athletic teams.

Barring any more creative or appropriate suggestions between now and April, the open space will likely be named the West Street Athletic Fields.

“Staff and the parks and recreation committee discussed it on Dec. 17,” said Planning Director Eric Schutes. “We discussed this with District 203 representatives and are bringing the name forward.”

The name will be brought before the full board at next Thursday’s board meeting. There would then be a 60-day “cooling off” period before they would officially approve the name in April.

The park district reduced its number of available plots near West Street and Mobile Court when it agreed to allow Naperville Unit District 203 to build athletic fields on part of the garden site.

For months, the issue pitted gardeners who didn’t want to lose land against parents of Naperville Central High School athletes who wanted their children to be able to practice near the school.

The park district planned to create new plots at DuPage River Park, but that project fell through after residents near the park complained and the price tag came in more than anticipated.