Naperville Park District plans two new parks, golf course renovations as part of $44.5 million budget
Springbrook Golf Course will get a $3.4 million jolt of renovations, and two new parks will be built as part of the Naperville Park District's 2022 budget.
The $44.5 million budget for next year, approved at the park district's December board meeting, represents a $3 million increase from 2021 to help maintain its 136 parks and 2,400 acres of land.
The $13.1 million earmarked for capital improvements is one of the larger commitments in recent years, according to district Finance Director Sue Stanish, and hits many projects - including Springbrook Golf Course - that were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While much of the money will come from incoming revenue, about $5.8 million will be transferred from a reserve fund designated for capital projects.
"It's a rolling balance over time where in some years we're saving and others we're drawing down," Stanish said. "We're always looking ahead to see what we need to do and how we're going to pay for it."
The tax levy, also approved at the board's December meeting, equates to $385 for the owner of a $412,000 home, which is about $13 higher than last year. Taxes represent 59% of the park district's annual revenue, while service fees account for 23% of revenue.
The bulk of the money for the second phase of construction at Springbrook Golf Course, about $3.3 million, will go toward the renovation of tees, bunkers and paths. Naperbrook Golf Course will receive about $350,000 in renovations.
Two new parks with playgrounds - Heritage Place Park and Naper Commons Park - will be built for $750,000. A. George Pradel Park, Eagle Park, Kendall Park and Tall Grass Lakes will be renovated for $830,000. Heatherstone Park and Wil-O-Way Park will see its basketball courts renovated for $130,000.
Aside from capital projects, the park district will hire an independent firm to conduct a community survey, something that's done every five years but was delayed in 2020 because of the pandemic. An overhaul of the park district website also is included in the 2022 budget.
"It's a robust plan for us," Stanish said. "We've got a nice mix of new amenities and also just straight forward taking care of what we have."