Barrington park, treehouse racking up honors

Open for just over four months, Barrington's Citizens Park already has enough awards to fill a trophy case.

Since its grand opening in June, the former home to the massive Jewel Tea Co. has been presented with a host of awards, said Barrington Park District Director Terri Jennings.

"It has been wonderful," Jennings said of the first few months the park has been up and running.

The most celebrated part of the park has been the Pepper Family Tree House.

The 2,000-square-foot treehouse overlooking Cuba Marsh won the 2007 Daniel Flaherty Award from the Great Lakes Training Institute, which recognizes innovative and creative designs in park districts.

"It is serene and beautiful," Jennings said of the treehouse. "We are getting all kinds of parties and rentals for it on a daily basis."

The treehouse was built in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association to ensure it was accessible to all children.

To recognize that partnership, the two groups were presented with the 2007 Illinois Association of Park Districts Partnership Award.

While an official announcement will not be made until November, Jennings said the district was recently notified that the park and treehouse will receive one of this year's Governor's Hometown Awards.

"What we have accomplished there has been quite special," said Christine Garry, president of the Barrington Park District board of commissioners. "It definitely is a beautiful feature for the village."

The park also took home the 2007 Illinois Masonry Award, recognizing the buildings in Citizens Park.

Besides the treehouse, the 55-acre $11.5 million park includes an amphitheater, pavilion, gazebo, lodge, natural rock water falls and basketball and tennis courts.

The idea of turning the former Jewel Tea site into a community park started to take form in 1999.

At that time, a group called Barrington Citizens for Open Space approached the park district about buying the land. Three years later, in 2002, voters approved the spending of $11.5 million to purchase the land and build a park on it.

Preservationists fought unsuccessfully to save the focal point of the property, the 200,000-square-foot art deco Jewel headquarters built back in 1929.

Even though the process was lengthy, Garry said the finished product has made it worth the wait.

"It was a challenge at first, but I think everyone thinks it has been worth the wait," Garry said.

Jennings said the park will only get better with time.

Up next is the bike trail that will connect the park with the neighboring Cuba Marsh. Construction that is under way.

"I think the possibilities are just endless," Garry said of the future of the park.