With the Community Park District of La Grange Park seeking approval of a referendum on a $10.7 million bond issue for adding a gymnasium and revamping its building at 1501 N. Barnsdale Road, district officials are making their case to residents.
“It’s time for La Grange Park residents to decide where they want recreation in the community to go in the future,” Jessica Cannaday, Park District Executive Director, told about 30 people in an open house March 1.
On the April 4 ballot will be two measures, one for the 20-year bond issue, which will go toward the construction of a new lobby and gymnasium that would create athletic court space for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball.
The current concept of the new facility would see the first floor adding a gym, multipurpose room, lockers, lockers, a fitness room, a stage, and a single, controlled entrance to ensure the safety of kids at its Ready Teddy Preschool.
Current plans are that an elevated fitness track, administration space, and a green roof be added to the second floor, but only as phase 2 of the plan, not included in the measures voted on April 4.
Surveys taken by the Park District show that while 87 % of respondents agree that the District provides affordable recreational activities, and 81 % agree that there are enough parks in the village, 61 % disagreed that there were enough indoor recreational activities.
And 57 % of respondents asked for a walking track.
The second measure, should it pass, will bring a permanent .038 increase on the Park District tax levy beginning in 2024.
A successful referendum would cost the homeowner with a property valued at $300,000 about $20 per month, $17 for the bond issue and $3 for the permanent increase; a property valued at $500,000 would pay an an additional $33 per month for both increases.
The District put a similar question to the voters in 1998, but it was defeated by 24 votes. Cannaday stressed that before that, one had to go all the way back to 1953 for the last successful bond referendum, which was for the purpose of building the amphitheater in Memorial Park.
The literature passed out to the residents — and to be found on the Park District website, communityparkdistrict.org, along with a detailed description of the proposal, shows that La Grange Park residents spend about $400,000 per year in District recreational programming.
But to access programming not available in La Grange Park, they also spend about $500,000 at La Grange Park District, and $300,000 to $500,000 in park districts like Oak Brook, Western Springs, Westchester, and McCook.
Cannaday pointed out that making more programming available as a result of the new gymnasium, along with the projected additional $150,000 from the tax rate increase, would position the District to better fund future capital improvements and other districtwide projects.
Residents had questions.
One man wanted to know if there would be a fee for open gym or pickleball.
Cannaday said the fee would likely be in the area of $3-$5.
Another wanted to know how the building would affect stormwater issues.
“We’re working with the Village to offset stormwater problems,” Cannaday said.
(Contacted later, Cannaday said the Park District had to comply with all Village codes and ordinances and those of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
Another questioner asked about how soon the project could get started.
“The bonds could be issued in 2024, and construction could begin toward the end of that year,” Cannaday said, “with the new facility opening in 2025.”
Another resident asked about the timing of the referendum.
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“If we lose now by a slim vote, like by four votes, we can take it back to the community in November,” Cannaday said, pointing to the 1953 bond issue as the last one passed by the District for capital improvements.
Resident Kate Wickman felt the meeting was productive.
“This meeting was super-informative,” she said, adding that she was leaning toward voting to approve the two ballot measures.
Cassandra Durava said that her and her husband were looking forward to raising their children in La Grange Park and using the Park District.
“I’m 100 % behind it,” she said.
The previous night, Cannaday made the same presentation to the La Grange Park Village Board.
During her presentation, she said that if the referendum was successful, projections were that after the second year, an additional $200,000 to $250,000 increase in funds would be available yearly, most which would be used for future capital improvements.
And she stressed that win or lose on Election Day, the District was committed to a “single, controlled entrance for the Ready Teddy Preschool.”
“It was a very thorough presentation,” Trustee Robert Lautner said after Cannaday’s talk. “It’s going to come down to what the residents want.”
The next open house will be at 5:30 p.m. March 13 at 1501 Barnsdale Road, followed by the Park Board meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.