New Playground Planned for Sunrise Park in Grayslake

The Grayslake Community Park District used community feedback to select the new playground design for Sunrise Park (175 Drury Lane, Grayslake).

Each year, the Grayslake Park District tries to replace at least one playground, depending on available funds. Sunrise Park is next on the playground replacement schedule the district uses as a guide to prioritize replacement of the 23 playgrounds in its park inventory.

When it came time to select a new playground for Sunrise Park, the Grayslake Park District turned to the community for feedback. The Grayslake Park District conducted an online survey to collect community preferences on the two design options being considered. The survey included design renderings and aerial views of the two playground options - referred to as Option 1 and Option 2.

A majority of residents who completed the survey preferred Playground Design Option 1. More than half of respondents indicated they lived in Chesapeake Farms, the neighborhood adjacent to Sunrise Park.

The Grayslake Community Park District Board of Commissioners used the community preferences gathered in the survey to inform their decision on what playground equipment to purchase. On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 the Board of Commissioners voted to approve the purchase of Playground Design Option 1 for Sunrise Park.

One theme that emerged from the survey was a strong preference for inclusive design elements that can be used by children of all abilities. "In response to the community's interest in a more inclusive playground, we worked with GameTime (the playground equipment company) to modify the design to include more inclusive play elements," said Grayslake Park District Executive Director Kristin Splitt. As a result, the new playground will include an ADA accessible swing, fun seats, play panels and bongos at ground level, and a free-standing "Merry-Go-All" play piece.

The playground equipment for Sunrise Park will be partially funded through a $46,000 grant from GameTime. "The Grayslake Park District is committed to fiscal responsibility, so we explore many different funding options for projects like this," explained Splitt. The Park District purchases playground equipment in the fall to save money by taking advantage of grants from companies trying to clear out inventory. The new playground equipment is expected to be installed in spring 2019.

Find more information about the new playground design on the Grayslake Park District's website at www.glpd.com.