Northbrook’s Wescott Park ‘tot lot’ revamp project begins this week

The Northbrook Park District will begin replacing the playground for ages 2 to 5 at Wescott Park this week.

The project includes new and colorful “tot lot” playground equipment and synthetic safety turf on the 4.1-acre park at 1820 Western Ave., in Northbrook. The park’s softball fields and walking path will be accessible to the public throughout the construction project.

“We're revamping Wescott Park because we are dedicated to providing fun and safety for our families,” Northbrook Park District Planning and Project Manager Nicole Wrobel said. “Once the project is done, we look forward to families playing, exploring and making memories together.”

A construction fence will be installed across the pathway by the tot lot. The sidewalk along Western Avenue, east of the tot lot, will not be affected.

The removal of the existing play equipment will start Thursday. The project will be substantially completed before the start of the school year at Wescott School, with full completion by the end of August.

The park’s original playground was installed in 2005 and was reaching the end of its lifecycle. Input from the community was gathered with a preliminary survey in March 2023 and another in July 2023 to help select the final playground equipment. The winning design garnered 75% of the community’s votes.

The park district scheduled the start of construction after the end of the school year at nearby Wescott School. Access to the large playground near the school will not be affected by this project.

While Wescott Park is under construction, children and families can enjoy nearby playgrounds at Village Green Park, at Shermer and Meadow roads; Greenview Park, 2407 Greenview Road; and Floral Park, 3105 Floral Drive.

For information about the park district’s projects and construction updates, visit nbparks.org/project/wescottpark.

Established in 1927, the mission of the Northbrook Park District is to enhance the community by providing outstanding services, parks and facilities through environmental, social and financial stewardship.