Fence going up near Wheaton playground

A permanent fence is being installed near a Wheaton elementary school playground area where two cars drove through this week.

On Tuesday, a vehicle went through the back parking lot at Emerson Elementary, 119 S. Woodlawn St., when students were outside for recess. A day later, a truck cut through the lot, just as maintenance workers were putting up barricades in response to the first incident, said Wheaton Warrenville District 200 spokeswoman Erica Foreman.

No students were outside during the Wednesday incident, and no one was hurt during either case.

In response, district officials decided a fence should be installed near the lot. Workers began pouring concrete for fence posts on Thursday, Foreman said.

For now, four construction barricades have been put in place at the lot's entrance, and at least one district truck is parked there to prevent drivers from passing through, Foreman said.

“We are concerned about this clearly, but we've rectified the situation. No one should be alarmed or concerned. We've taken the proper precautions,” Foreman said.

The drivers may have used Knollwood Drive, which is near the school, as a detour route because of construction on nearby Manchester Road.

Parents were informed of the first driving incident on Tuesday and about the fence installation on Thursday, Foreman said.