Jubilee Point Park Development | Featured Park Projects | Current & Proposed Projects | Recently Completed Projects
Featured Park Projects
Enhancing Accessibility & Safety at Lake Harriet |
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| Updated May 7, 2025 – Beginning May 8, renovation work will start on the paths at Lake Harriet to improve accessibility and enhance user safety. During construction, the pathways will be closed to the public, with signs posted to indicate closures. The project is expected to be completed by early June.
Key improvements include:
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New trail at HAWTHORNE HILL WOODS NOW OPEN |
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| Updated May 30, 2025 – The newly opened scenic recreational trail gives residents a new way to explore and experience the natural beauty of Hawthorne Hill Woods. The 0.65-mile accessible trail winds through the woodland’s natural landscape, linking the north and south sections of the Woodridge Comprehensive Multi-use Pathway System The trail features a 9.5-foot-wide crushed limestone surface, with strategic asphalt sections where it connects to existing bike paths and crosses culverts in flood-prone areas.
The total project, costing just under $550,000, received significant financial support through a $200,000 grant awarded from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Recreational Trails Program. This development aligns with the community’s vision outlined in the 2014 Woodridge Town Centre Master Plan. Design for this path began when staff consulted with an Ecological Engineer, Living Waters Consultants (LWC), an expert in ecology and site sensitivity within diverse ecological environments similar to Hawthorne Hill Woods. LWC helped layout and design the path to minimize the disruption of wetlands and minimize tree removals as this pedestrian path was planned on this unique property. All areas disturbed by construction have been seeded and will be restored with native woodland understory and riparian species |
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Pond bank Brush Removal |
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| April 1, 2025 – Beginning the week of March 24th, contractors began the removal of non-native and invasive woody species up to six inches in diameter from the pond banks at three park sites: Rutgers-Peters, Windy Point Park, and the small pond located east of the Wendy’s restaurant on 87th Street. In addition to removing the brush, the contractor will apply herbicide to all cut material to ensure that non-native and invasive plants do not re-sprout. These removals will allow sunlight to reach the banks and allow for the deep-rooted native grasses and plants to thrive and perform their function of stabilizing the pond banks and reducing erosion. The removal brush removal will also have aesthetic and safety benefits reopening views to park users while providing improved recreational access for fishing. This work is expected to be completed this spring. | |
park improvements at ide’s grove east & Summerhill parks |
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| March 17, 2025 – Improvements are coming this spring to Ide’s Grove East Park and Summerhill Park.
Improvements at Ide’s Grove East will include the replacement of damaged and failing pavement in the playground area with ADA-accessible concrete flatwork and asphalt paving to restore primary playground access points and accessible bench seating areas. The improvements will also include renovation of the existing pond overlook/fishing pier including: the replacement of ADA noncompliant paths with new accessible paths, replacement of damaged and degraded concrete flatwork, site grading, minor lighting modifications, and landscape improvements. Additionally, new benches will be installed throughout the park. At Summerhill Park, work will consist of replacement of existing modular block playground borders and the adjacent retaining walls with poured concrete playground borders and poured concrete retaining walls. Further site improvements will include the replacement of the existing ADA non-compliant seating area overlooking Prentis Creek with both accessible and stepped walks providing access to bench seating overlooking the creek. Additionally, new benches will be installed throughout the park. |
Recently Completed Projects
ARC Playground Renovations COMPLETE
The ARC playground is now open after being closed for renovations which started on Monday, March 31st. Originally opened in 2017, the playground featured two play structures with electronic gaming capabilities, a popular trend in commercial playground equipment at the time. However, District staff have since encountered ongoing issues with the electronic components. In 2023, the manufacturer announced it would discontinue technical support for this line of equipment.
Throughout 2024, District staff collaborated with the company to find a solution. As a result, the electronic components will be replaced with new, standard play features, including a multi-user net spinner and stepping pods. The renovations will also include repairs to the synthetic turf safety surfacing, all at no cost to the District.
Pond Maintenance at Ide’s Grove West Park
Since receiving initial complaints about the pond at Ide’s Grove West Park in spring 2024, District staff began regularly monitoring and evaluating the conditions and ultimately concluded that the pond warranted treatment. On Wednesday, May 15th, the District started a course of chemical treatments to address the filamentous algae. Since the algae was approaching 100% coverage of the pond’s surface area, District staff sought professional input from pond/aquatic management companies to ensure the District’s plan was effective and to identify other viable methods for expediting the process. Because of the extensive nature of the algae bloom, the solution recommended to most efficiently and effectively address the situation was the mechanical harvesting and disposal of the algae. The District has secured a contract with Integrated Lakes Management (ILM) for one day of mechanical removal of the algae from the pond for disposal off-site. This work was completed on June 12th, resulting in an immediate reduction of algae coverage of nearly 100% to less than 20% coverage. A key benefit to mechanically removing the algae is that the nutrients contained in the algae are also removed from the pond and not left to decompose on site. This method reduces the volume of organic material and nutrients in the pond reducing the risk of similar algae blooms in future years.
In a continued effort to address the algae, ILM returned on June 13th to back-treat the pond with algaecide and conduct the first of three monthly nutrient deactivation applications that will permanently bind with phosphorus to reduce future algae growth. Following the completion of this work on Friday, June 14th, District staff observed numerous dead fish throughout the pond likely due to the recent mechanical algae removal coupled with the chemical treatments and high temperatures. The extent of the fish kill event is not yet clear, and District staff will address any necessary clean-up efforts on Monday, June 17th. In late June, Park District staff will resume regular chemical treatments that will last through the summer months to manage algae growth. These treatments will continue to reduce the amount of algae that remains over the coming months with the objective of managing the algae at an acceptable level to maintain the health of the pond for local wildlife and recreational use.
Protective Netting Completed at Orchard Hill Park Baseball Fields
New protective netting now shields spectators at Orchard Hill Park following the completion of a two-week construction project. The installation, finished on October 3, 2024, features an innovative network of cables and netting suspended from newly erected 25-foot support posts, seamlessly connecting to the existing backstop infrastructure.
The enhanced safety system spans the areas between the park’s three baseball diamonds and central shelter, creating a protective canopy to guard visitors against wayward balls from concurrent games. Despite the scope of the improvements, which began September 18th, the park maintained normal operations throughout construction, allowing teams and players to continue their regular practice and game schedules with minimal interference.
63RD STREET PARK BASKETBALL COURT SURFACE RECOLORING PROJECT
On July 3rd the basketball courts at 63rd Street Park reopened for public use. A part of the District’s Capital Replacement Program, the repair and recoloring work on the courts began on June 28th. The project included the cleaning, preparation, crack refilling, and reapplication of the color coating system to both the west and east basketball courts.
