Park Ridge voters approved a set of improvements worth $33.4 million for the Park Ridge Park District Oakton Ice Arena, unofficial election results show.
The measure passed on a 55.85% to 44.15% margin, according to unofficial data from the Cook County Clerk’s Office.
Park District leadership hailed the election results in a statement on election night, thanking voters and taxpayers and looking ahead to added recreational offerings for residents.
“We believed the project presented for taxpayer approval in the referendum was the best proposal that met our residents’ needs,” Park District Executive Director Gayle Mountcastle said. “We are thrilled about the expanded recreational opportunities we will be able to bring to our community.”
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The cost to voters who own a home close to the median value of $437,000 would be an extra $136 in property taxes to finance the project, which took almost five years to plan and pitch.
That will buy a number of improvements to both the ice arena and accompanying facilities, including a new mechanical system for keeping the ice rink frozen, addressing accessibility issues with the building’s bathrooms and locker rooms and adding new concession areas.
Aside from upgrades to the ice rink, the package will also cover a new indoor athletic facility with a turf field, a new walking path around Oakton Park, new netting for the driving range and relocating the park’s dog run.
At a recent information session hosted by the Park District, Mountcastle said construction would begin in 2024 and end the next year.
It’s the second big spend in about a year forresidents of Park Ridge and some residents in Niles. Taxpayers who fund Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 footed the $38.8 million bill for improvements to district schools allowing full-day kindergartens to operate at District 64 elementary schools.
The full cost of the park district project rose by June from $33.4 million to $36.9 million due to rising costs of materials and labor, district officials said last spring.District officials have said they’ll take the $3.5 million difference between the ask of what voters approved and the referendum actual cost total from the district’s capital reserve fund, according to a district spokesperson.