$2.8M in improvements planned for Greene Valley Forest Preserve near Naperville
A multimillion-dollar upgrade is coming to Greene Valley Forest Preserve near Naperville.
The $2.8 million in improvements originally were proposed as part of a master plan adopted for Greene Valley in 2023 by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. They include relocating the preserve entrance, building a new picnic shelter, replacing latrines with modern flush restrooms powered by solar, realigning trails and adding a canoe and kayak launch for better access to the East Branch of the DuPage River.
Construction is expected to be completed by late summer or early fall 2027, officials said in a news release.
“This project is the result of years of planning and valuable input from the community,” Forest Preserve District Board President Daniel Hebreard said. “We listened to what visitors needed and developed improvements that will make Greene Valley easier to navigate and enjoy without changing its natural character.”
When complete, the changes will enhance safety, accessibility and recreational opportunities on the north side of the 1,388-acre preserve, which welcomes nearly 400,000 visitors annually. It is one of the busiest and most-used forest preserves in the county, Hebreard said.
One major upgrade is the relocation of the preserve entrance on Greene Road, which will improve traffic flow and safety and has been “a really high priority,” Hebreard said.
Currently, the entrance is in a low-visibility area at the bottom of a hill.
“We have some beautiful oak trees right there that are gorgeous,” Hebreard said. “We don’t want to take (the trees) down, but they do hinder the sight lines a little bit.”
The new entrance will be moved farther north on Greene Road, closer to the top of the hill. When cars enter the preserve, it will bring them closer to the shelter areas and to the historic Greene Barn.
Another major change is the addition of a canoe and kayak launch. Hebreard said that right now the best place to launch boats is closer to 83rd Street, which is a long walk from the Greene Road parking lot. The new route will be Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible and closer to the forest preserve’s parking lot.
“This is going to be an incredible improvement because it’ll be right next to the parking lot with an actual trail right there,” Hebreard said. “I think it’s (currently) several hundred yards, maybe 300 to 500 yards, from the parking lot … trying to get down to the river. This will be less than 100 yards.”
Other improvements, such as adding a new picnic shelter and flush washrooms, also will enhance the overall visitor experience, he said.
“We’re just excited to really support the community, improve safety, improve accessibility,” Hebreard said.
The project is partially funded by a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and $200,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
cstein@chicagotribune.com