Lots at Center and Oakwood eyed for new Des Plaines park

Four vacant lots on the corner of Oakwood Avenue and Center Street may have a playground, gazebo and fitness area installed by the end of 2017.

The Des Plaines Park District is negotiating to buy the land for a neighborhood park. An early design shows the park with a five-foot wide concrete walk, swings, a gazebo, a handicap-accessible play area, a basketball court and a turf area for pickup games.

"The downtown area of Des Plaines is very densely populated," said Don Miletic, park district executive director. "And we don't have a neighborhood park that encompasses a playground."

Miletic, however, said a lot of things have to fall into place first, including applying - and getting - a federal grant, and agreeing on a purchase price with the property owners.

Miletic said the park district and the property owners have agreed to negotiate, but first need an appraisal.

Meanwhile, the park district is inviting residents to a public forum about the park, at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Des Plaines Public Library.

"We want to know if people are interested, and if so, what they're interested in having in the park," Miletic said.

The park district is applying for a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to cover half the purchase price.

The grant would be administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. According to Bobbie Jo Hill, spokeswoman for the Illinois Association of Park Districts, that money could get caught up in Illinois' budget stalemate and not get immediately forwarded to Des Plaines.

"Federal money passed through (IDNR) still has to be appropriated by the state of Illinois," Hill said Friday, adding that means it would not be disbursed.

In a similar situation, the state had committed money for Apache Park on Des Plaines' south side, but pulled back. The park district ended up putting more of its own funds into the project.

Miletic, however, said buying the property is contingent on getting the grant. The park district expects to hear about January 2017.

If all comes together, construction could start in fall 2017, he added. Construction would take about two months, depending on the weather.

Ideally the park would be done by the end of 2017, but it might be in the spring of 2018, Miletic said.