*Yena Park Update May 29, 2026 * Yena Park is nearly complete! We are working on making the final connection from the required storm water detention area to the storm sewer. Last week, we attempted to make the connection but discovered unknown conditions when 29th Street was opened. We worked quickly with the Village of La Grange Park and MWRD to develop an approved solution, which requires ordering new pipe. Due to this being a grant funded project, we also must have the change order approved by IDNR before we can move forward with ordering new materials. We hope to have this last piece complete before the end of June. We understand that this is disappointing news, but we appreciate your patience and we appreciate the support of the Village of La Grange Park as we work through this last item.

ROBINHOOD PARK TENNIS COURT PROJECT – FAQ

When will construction begin? Construction is anticipated to begin on Monday, May 18, 2026, weather permitting.

How long will the project take? The project is expected to take approximately two weeks, weather permitting.

Will the tennis courts be closed? Yes. The tennis courts will be temporarily closed during construction for safety.

What work is being done? The existing court surface will be cleaned and leveled, and a new modular athletic surface will be installed along with new tennis posts.

Will the courts still be tennis courts? Yes. The courts will remain two tennis courts only. There will be no pickleball lines added.

What kind of surface is being installed? A new Sport Court modular athletic surface will be installed to provide a durable and consistent playing experience for tennis users.

*Is this a completely different type of court? *Yes and no. While the courts will continue to function as tennis courts, the updated modular athletic surface will provide a refreshed playing experience and improved court consistency.

What should neighbors expect during construction? • Work will take place on weekdays during daytime hours • Some construction noise is expected • Most work will remain contained within the existing fenced court area • Contractors and materials will be staged within the park as needed • The work area will be secured for safety ** Will parking be impacted?** Minimal impact to parking is expected during construction. ** Will there be dust or debris?** Contractors will take standard precautions to minimize dust and maintain a clean and secure work area. ** Is the material safe?** Yes. The modular athletic surface materials are commonly used for recreational and athletic courts and will be installed by experienced professionals following industry standards. ** Why is this project being done?** This project improves the condition and playability of the existing tennis courts while providing a more durable and consistent surface for the community.

*Who can I contact with questions? *Community Park District of La Grange Park 708-354-4580 info@communityparkdistrict.org

STONE MONROE PARK TENNIS COURT PROJECT – FAQ UPDATED 4/30/2026

When will construction begin? Construction is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 4, 2026.

How long will the project take? The project is expected to take less than two weeks, weather permitting.

Will the tennis courts be closed? Yes. The tennis courts will be temporarily closed during construction for safety.

What work is being done? The existing courts are being removed and replaced with a new synthetic turf tennis court surface.

Will the courts still be tennis courts? Yes. The courts will remain two tennis courts only. There will be no pickleball lines added.

What kind of surface is being installed? The new surface is a synthetic turf system similar to the current sand-based courts, designed for improved durability and a more consistent playing experience.

Is this a completely different type of court? No. The new courts are similar in look and feel to the existing courts, just updated with improved materials.

What should neighbors expect during construction?

Work will take place on weekdays during daytime hours Some construction noise is expected The parking lot will be used for staging materials The work area will be secured for safety

Will parking be impacted? Minimal impact to street parking is expected. The park’s parking lot will be used for construction staging.

Is the material safe? Yes. The materials being used are commonly used for athletic surfaces and will be installed by experienced contractors following industry standards.

Will there be dust or debris? Contractors will take standard precautions to manage dust and keep the work area contained.

Who is completing the work? The project is being completed by experienced contractors specializing in athletic surface installation.

Why is this project being done? This project replaces aging courts and provides a more durable, consistent, and long-lasting playing surface for the community.

Who can I contact with questions? Community Park District of La Grange Park 708-354-4580 info@communityparkdistrict.org

Yena Park Update August 6, 2025. 

Permitting and Work Schedule

PHASE II (APPROVED)

The Village of La Grange Park approved a Phase II Building Permit late in the afternoon of Monday, August 4. This permit has been delivered to Landworks and allows them to activate subcontractors to continue MWRD work. 

PHASE III (PENDING)

The Community Park District anticipates receiving the Phase III Building Permit from the Village tomorrow afternoon (August 7). Once we have this permit, our team will hand deliver it to Landworks and it will greenlight the completion of underground plumbing and electrical work, installation of all remaining park elements, structures and fencing. Once received, Landworks can begin the process of re-activating subcontractors to complete electrical and plumbing work, Residents can anticipate seeing these contractors onsite intermittently as early as next week. You may also see delivery of additional materials such as stone and gravel. 

Landworks will also begin prepping to re-mobilize their crew. This includes refreshing existing dump tickets, additional haul-off, and remarking for utilities. This being the height of construction season, there is an extended timeline for these services. For example, JULIE is currently estimating a 98-hour response time instead of 72 hours. Landworks is also in contact with MWRD to inform them that work is resuming onsite, which requires a new site review. Landworks also estimates a 3-4 week lead time for fencing delivery, and most subcontractor work mentioned above must be completed before they can begin asphalt work or site furnishings installation. We anticipate Landworks' full crew to be reactivated in the next 3-4 weeks (Between August 28 and September 4). 

SITE MAINTENANCE

Due to the project being outside the scope of the original timeline, the Community Park District staff has worked out an agreement with Landworks to take over the interior and exterior maintenance (mowing) of the project site for the next 3-4 weeks. Our team will be onsite on Friday, August 8 to mow. Residents can expect the park district to perform this maintenance on a weekly basis. 

Project Scope and Timeline Changes

The Community Park District is subject to the same regulatory Village review and permitting as any resident in La Grange Park. The Village requires structural engineer reviews for all fencing and backstops, which required the park district to engage with a Geotechnical Engineer to test the soil where the existing structures were installed. The requirement for structural engineer calculations and review also prevents the park district from utilizing pre-fabricated, industry standard backstops for the ballfields. Ultimately, the park district had to redesign the fencing from the new industry standard of pile-driven posts to concrete footings. The structural engineer review indicated that footings need to be 24" in diameter and 56" in depth - which is 6"-12" wider than industry standard and significantly deeper than the frostline here in Illinois. We anticipate a minimum of 50 additional yards of concrete to be needed for the required footings. We were unable to get approval on the remaining park elements until design and review of the custom fencing was completed. 

It has taken time to work through the required structural engineer review and custom design. Additionally, the Village needed additional time to review to ensure the design was in compliance with their code. 

The Park District is proud of the work it has done with the Village to ensure the quality and local compliance of this project. 

We are working with Landworks to update the revised project schedule and will publish that as soon as we have it. 

 

FAQs

The following are frequently asked questions we have received from residents over the past few weeks:

 Q: Has project funding for Yena Park been allocated to the acquisition of the YMCA? 

A: No. The Yena Park project is funded with a $600,000 OSLAD Grant, which requires matching funds from the park district. The Park District Board of Commissioners allocated matching funding for Yena Park in 2021, and it has been invested and accruing interest per our financial policy since. 

Q: Why didn't you wait to break-ground before you had all the permitting in place? 

A: The park district anticipated a linear permitting process and began work as we had the correct permissions in place. The park district has very specific legal spend-down requirements it has to meet as set by the IRS as well as required by the OSLAD Grant terms. Entering into a contract and encumbering the funds needed to complete the project helps to satisfy these spend down requirements (and prevents funding for this project being spent elsewhere). Delaying the project unnecessarily could jeopardize project grant funding and subject the park district to arbitrage. 

Q: Why haven't you provided more updates to the residents?

A: The park district has provided information as it has received it. A project of this scope requires working with our project manager (JSD), our outside general contractor (Landworks), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), the Village of La Grange Park, a geotechnical engineer, JULIE, subcontractors, structural engineers, the Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA), and more. The park district has worked with each of these organizations to expedite their review of this project to the best of our ability. 

 Q: Why can't you do more to prevent the site from being an eyesore? 

A: Once the park district entered into a contract with Landworks, insurance and liability requirements prevented the park staff from doing any work inside the construction fence. The park district has worked to explore solutions and will be taking over maintenance of the interior of the worksite beginning this week until Landworks' full crew is back onsite. 

Q: The equipment has been sitting outside for a long time. Will that damage it before it is installed? 

A: No. The playground equipment and shelter are designed to be installed outside. Storing them out of doors in a secure location will not jeopardize their structural integrity or quality. 

 We want to thank the residents of La Grange Park and neighbors of Yena Park for their patience as we work to improve Yena Park. This project will provide a perimeter walking path for our community, additional pickleball, a new playground, upgraded ballfields, and more. We know that the improvements have been a long-time coming, and this project has been a priority of our board and staff since 2021. We are working diligently to make sure it is done right, and within budget. 

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Community Park District of La Grange Park Awarded $600,000 for the Renovation of Yena Park

Thursday, February 1 2024

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources awarded the Community Park District of La Grange Park a $600,000 OSLAD Grant for the renovation of Yena Park. “This grant will be transformational for our parks,” says Sara Earhart, Superintendent of Parks for the district and a La Grange Park resident.

In 2021, the district conducted a comprehensive park inventory and assessment as part of its long-range planning process and the quality of Yena Park received the second lowest rating in La Grange Park – the lowest rating belonged to Beach Oak Park which will celebrate a grand re-opening in the spring of 2024.

Through an existing debt refinance and the issuance of new non-referendum bonds, the district had generated approximately $600,000 to allocate to park improvements outside of Beach Oak Park. An amount that would cover less than half of the essential park improvements outlined in the Yena Park conceptual plan. This was the district’s second attempt at acquiring matching state funding for Yena Park through the OSLAD program.

“We know the incredible impact the Yena Park project will have on our entire community, and we weren’t going to give up on it,” says Executive Director Jessica Cannaday. According to Cannaday, the district received an outpouring of letters of support for both grant applications from residents and groups including La Grange Park Little League, School District 95, School District 102, La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce, the Arbor Advocates, and many more.

The district worked with the community to refine its conceptual plan, adding designated pickleball and increasing nature-based play spaces for the grant resubmittal. The plan also calls for the preservation of existing trees, the addition of water fountains, ADA accessibility improvements, athletic field renovations, playground replacement, tennis court renovations, and the addition of a perimeter walking path around the entire park. “This grant allows us to address a huge number of resident needs and requests and better serve people of all ages and abilities,” says Park Board President Bob Corte.

“I appreciate Governor Pritzker’s continued efforts to ensure funding for the OSLAD program, which is a vital tool for communities to build safe, engaging, and accessible outdoor spaces for their residents,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie.

With the funding now available for Yena Park, the Community Park District says residents can look forward to celebrating the grand reopening of Yena Park in 2025. Executive Director Cannaday says that residents should keep their eyes open for additional input meetings. “As we move towards finalizing construction plans, there are still important decisions to be made and we are committed to working with residents and stakeholders to make sure we get the details and project timing just right.”

Nearly $55 million in state grants are being awarded for 111 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities, Gov. JB Pritzker announced today. For the second year in a row, the governor ensured funding was set aside for economically distressed communities, resulting in 32 underserved locations receiving $18.7 million in grants from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program. This is the 37th year for the program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986, OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since it was established, OSLAD has awarded nearly $585 million for park projects throughout Illinois (including the awards announced in 2024).

Stone Monroe Athletic Court Public Input Meeting
Held Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 10am

Executive Director Jessica Cannaday was onsite at the Stone Monroe Athletic Courts to discuss the future of the site. 

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