Des Plaines Park District officials set mid-August for renovations to begin at McKay-Nealis Park playground with changes still fluid since a recent forum seeking residents’ ideas drew not a single person.
Typically, residents who use a park help officials decide what to do, said John Hecker, district executive director.
“They are the experts. They live right next to the park typically,” Hecker said. “They have seen with the existing site what they like that goes on and they have seen what they don’t like. They are our eyes and ears of the neighborhood park, and it makes sense for us to listen to what they have to say.”
The park, at 1755 South Maple St., hasn’t been renovated since being built in 1997, said Paul Cathey, district superintendent of parks and planning. It will be upgraded under the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
“Our CIP is a plan that has all of our parks and facilities listed for the next five years — all the different projects that need to be done — whether it’s based on the age and condition of the equipment or the need, and includes everything from vehicles to equipment to building envelope; it could be air conditioning, heating issues; it could be building a new pool,” he said.
“This one is in a high-visibility area and gets a lot of use,” he said. “We have a lot of young kids in the neighborhood and we also get groups coming from the day cares that are on Oakton [St.]”
Cathey said $107,500 has been allotted for the project. The tentative budget includes $45,000 for playground equipment and $12,000 for a shelter.The rest will go toward concrete work, excavation, landscaping and demolition, he said.
The conceptual design is being developed and playground equipment is out to bid now.
“We have three companies of playground equipment: Little Tikes and Landscape Structures and GameTime — those are the three companies that we are getting proposals from for the playground equipment,” he said. Options will be presented from which residents can choose types of equipment, he said.
“What we are looking to do is make it handicap accessible and have it completely up-to-date, safe condition and have it be creative and unique,” he said.
Donald Miletic, assistant executive director of Des Plaines Park District said the district plans on renovating two playgrounds every year.
“We have 34 playgrounds, and we try to replace them every 15 years,” Miletic said.
Hecker said renovation at McKay-Nealis will last about six weeks and be closed to the public during construction.
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“Hopefully, if we are on schedule, they (residents) will still have fall because fall can be beautiful for playgrounds,” he said.