Elmhurst Park District seeks community input on Vision 2020 plans
Surveying residents about support for a possible referendum question to fund major capital projects is at the top of Elmhurst Park District's to-do list, Executive Director Jim Rogers said this week during his annual State of the Park District address.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the district is working on a long-term improvement plan based on community input from earlier surveys he said.
The Vision 2020 plan calls for a new adult center, an indoor sports center, a dog park and expansion of Wagner Community Center. It also calls for obtaining more outdoor space and improving park maintenance.
But all of those projects will cost money - an estimated $105.2 million with an annual operating subsidy of $2.5 million - and that's where a possible referendum question that would roughly double the district's property tax levy comes in.
The district is considering asking for a levy of roughly $16 million, which would cost the owner of a $500,000 home about $497 more a year. But Rogers has said the district won't pursue a tax increase until it takes the temperature of the community.
Toward that end, registered voters in the district are receiving surveys this month and the district will begin holding open houses for residents on Nov. 1.
The park board will review survey results in late November and make decisions in December.
"Our goal is to successfully address the community's wants and needs," Rogers said.
In September, the board placed a contingency-based offer on the Kieft Brothers Inc. property at 837 S. Riverside Drive for the new indoor sports center. The purchase will go through if the referendum passes.
Rogers identified potential partners for activities at the sports center as Elmhurst College, the DuPage Sports Commission and Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep.
In preparation for the Wagner expansion at 615 N. West St., the district plans to consolidate early childhood programs. The Sunbeams and Rainbows classes will move to Wagner from Eldridge, Butterfield and Crestview parks and those three sites will be refurbished.
Four years ago, the board bought property at 135 Palmer Drive for a possible adult center. Since the center now will be built at the recently purchased Redeemer Center property at 123 E. St. Charles Road, the old property will be expanded into Glos Memorial Park to create more open space.
The new dog park at 0S761 Old York Road, remains the most advanced project, with a master plan in place. Rogers said programming ideas for the park are endless and include obedience classes, adoption days and costume parties. The new park will sell memberships and passes to residents to ensure participating dogs have updated vaccinations.
Rogers said the park also is meant to decrease the number of off-leash dogs in the community.