Naperville resident requests renaming of Southwest Community Park

Naperville resident Ginny Wolf Chivas, a descendant of one of the town's founding families, asked the Naperville Park District board at their Jan. 31 meeting to consider renaming Southwest Community Park "Wolf's Crossing Community Park."

The new name would reflect the history of the 33-acre park site, located at 3252 Wolf's Crossing Road, which was farmed by Chivas' great-great grandfather Amos Wolf in the 1840s.

Chivas began pitching her idea to the Naperville Park District at a board committee meeting on Dec. 21, explaining that in Naperville's early history there was a community spirit among the settlers as they helped each build barns and survive crises.

She sees that attitude of helpfulness continuing in Naperville today, in its neighborhood groups and service clubs. In Chivas' view, naming the park "Wolf's Crossing Community Park" honors not only the Wolf family, but the community of families who worked together to establish Naperville.

Following Naperville Park District board policy, the board will wait for 60 days before voting on the park name change at one of their April meetings.

On Jan. 10, 2019, the board approved naming the pavilion to be built at the new park "Wolf's Crossing Pavilion."

Interpretive signage will be created to explain the early history of the site and the signage will be funded, in part, by a $5,000 donation from Ginny Wolf Chivas.

The park district plans to begin development of the park in summer 2019.