The Village of Woodridge and the Woodridge Park District announce upcoming changes to the Brush Drop-Off and Free Mulch Program. Beginning in May 2025, these services will be discontinued as the Park District plans its redevelopment of Jubilee Point Park and will be repurposing both the 71st Street property, which houses the bush drop-off chipping site, and the Woodridge Drive property, home to the mulch pile.
The immediate discontinuation of these services will support the Park District’s efforts to expand park and recreational opportunities for the community while giving the Village of Woodridge time to focus on finding alternative solutions for the collection and disposal of woody debris generated by forestry operations, including brush, branches, and tree stumps. This decision also aligns with the Park District’s efforts to restore and maintain the health of its woodland areas.
With the development of Jubilee Point Park, the previous location of the free mulch pile program will be transformed into the new community garden site. To meet the growing demand from community gardeners, this space will be fully developed to accommodate future garden plots, providing expanded opportunities for residents to engage in gardening activities.
The brush drop-off chipping site at 71st Street in Hawthorne Hill Woods is the only area of the park where invasive species removal has not yet occurred. Some invasive trees were initially left to provide sound and visual barriers for neighboring residents. However, this has unintentionally contributed to the spread of invasive plants, including poison hemlock, affecting the surrounding natural areas. To better protect and restore these ecosystems, the Park District will remove the remaining invasive and hazardous trees and use mobile chipping equipment to naturally enhance woodland paths at both Hawthorne Hill Woods and Jubilee Point Park.
While these operational adjustments are underway, residents are encouraged to utilize the landscape waste collection services provided through the Village’s waste-hauler, Groot. A key benefit of the Village’s new Groot flat rate refuse and recycling program is the free and unlimited curbside collection of landscape waste for homeowners. This includes brush and branches, provided they are bundled in packages no more than 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter, with each bundle weighing no more than 50 lbs.
“We understand that changes to long-standing programs can be challenging,” said Woodridge Village Administrator Al Stonitsch. “We hope that our refuse and recycling program offers residents a reliable, convenient way to manage their yard waste, and we want them to know that we remain committed to exploring future solutions that meet the community’s needs.”
“While we understand the Brush Drop-Off and Free Mulch Program has been a valued service for many years,” said Woodridge Park District Executive Director Jenny Knitter. “We are excited to transform and enhance this space into a new, vibrant, and welcoming recreational area for residents to enjoy.”
For residents seeking additional information about landscape and waste collection changes, please visit the Village of Woodridge website at www.woodridgeil.gov. For residents seeking additional information about the development of Jubilee Point Park, please visit the Woodridge Park District website at www.woodridgeparks.org.
We appreciate the community’s understanding and support as we work together to enhance Woodridge’s parks, recreational opportunities, and municipal services.
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About the Village of Woodridge
The Village of Woodridge is dedicated to achieving a high quality of life by providing superior customer service, responsible emergency services, and diverse programs and amenities in a fiscally responsible manner. Incorporated in 1959, with less than 500 residents, the Village of Woodridge is home to over 34,000 people today and is located approximately 25 miles west of downtown Chicago. The Village includes thousands of acres of forest preserve land, six public elementary schools, one junior high school, and outstanding library and park facilities. To learn more about the Village of Woodridge, visit woodridgeil.gov
About the Woodridge Park District
The mission of the Woodridge Park District is to enhance one’s quality of life by providing superior parks, facilities and recreational services in a safe, fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable manner, in partnership with the community. In serving parks and recreation to the Woodridge community across 10.26 square miles, the Woodridge Park District offers more than 1,000 programs annually. It manages five facilities, 21 miles of paved off-road bikeways connected to regional trails, and more than 40 parks and open space sites—including woodlands and wetlands—spanning 685 acres.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Kaczor, Village of Woodridge Communications & Community Engagement Manager
JKaczor@Woodridgeil.gov | (630) 960-7880
Megan Romano, Woodridge Park District Superintendent of Marketing & Community Engagement
mromano@woodridgeparks.org | (630) 353-3328
