October 18, 2024

Community Park District of La Grange Park receives federal funding for the acquisition of Village Church property

The Community Park District of La Grange Park is happy to announce that it has been awarded a Land Water Conservation Fund Grant (LWCF) for the acquisition of the Village Church Property at 1150 Meadowcrest in La Grange Park. This funding will allow the Community Park District to preserve this beautiful open space and add public parkland for the community for the first time since 1978.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. These federal funds are administered for projects such as this through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Between the LWCF grant funding, and successful OSLAD grant for Yena Park, the Community Park District of La Grange Park has been awarded more than $942,000 in funding for park improvements this year here in La Grange Park!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How will this project impact my taxes? A: It won't. The Community Park District will utilize capital funding generated from our Corporate and Recreation funds to match the grant funding for acquisition. In our initial assessments, the size and intended use of the property can be managed by our current parks staff.

Q: When will this project start? A: The grant requires the park district to make improvements to the property within three years of acquisition.

Q: Why would you acquire new property when the tennis courts at Stone Monroe and Robinhood need to be repaired? A: Preservation of parkland is a core value and integral to the Mission of the Community Park District, and open space in La Grange Park is a finite resource. Residents have stated in our public meetings that this open space is critical to the character of the community, and with the grant funding, we are able to preserve it as such indefinitely.

Q: How will this impact the Recreation Center Expansion Funds or the Yena Park project? A: It will not. The funding for the Recreation Center Expansion can only be used for that project. The Yena Park project is funded with $600,000 of OSLAD grant funding, and matching capital funds that have already been allocated to that project.

Q: Will you keep the church building? A: No. Over the next three years, we plan to work with the Village Church so they can continue to utilize the building as we develop funding for the park improvements. The park district may temporarily utilize the building for various storage, maintenance or recreational purposes if needed. During the park improvement phase, the building will be demolished after any significant item or architectural artifact within reason has been removed and preserved by interested parties.

Frequently Asked Questions from the original Public Input Meeting:

Q: Would the acquisition of this property affect funding allocated for Yena Park?

A: No. The Community Park District has $600,000 in reserves for Yena Park. In addition, we recently received a $600,000 OSLAD Grant and we are moving forward with a $1.2 million renovation of Yena Park. The project will be bid later this year, and we anticipate breaking ground in early 2025.

Q: Would the acquisition of this property affect funding allocated for Beach Oak Park?

A: No. The $700,000+ renovation of Beach Oak Park is nearly complete! With your help, Beach Oak Park has been re-imagined and redesigned. New features, brand new new play structures, games, picnic shelter, landscaping, pathways, and more are almost ready for you and your families to enjoy. Watch for information on our Grand Re-Opening Celebration coming soon.

Q: Would the acquisition of this property raise our taxes?

A: No. Should the park district receive the LWCF Grant, we would use reserve revenue generated from programming like summer camp and pickleball as well as interest earnings to match the grant funds and purchase the property.

Q: If you do not get the grant, will you purchase the property?

A: If we do not have a successful grant application, we would go back to the community to see if you supported using additional existing capital reserve funding the purchase the property and maintain it as open space.

Q: Would you keep the building?

A: At this time, the park district would anticipate demolishing the existing facility.

Q: What happens if the park district does not purchase the property?

A: The most likely scenario is that the property would be sold to a developer and approximately 5 new homes would be built in that area.

Note: It is important to remember that the Community Park District is a separate taxing body from the Village of La Grange Park. The Park District is governed by a separate elected volunteer board of five resident commissioners. The portion of your tax bill that is invested in parks and recreation here in La Grange Park is under 3.5%. To put this in perspective, the La Grange Park Library, which operates one facility, collects more than 5% of your tax bill and the Village of La Grange Park collects over 13%.

Check back soon for more updates as we move forward with this exciting project.

Meadowcrest Property Acquisition Project

 

PUBLIC INPUT MEETING: A public input meeting was held Thursday, March 14 at 6:30pm to discuss the possible acquisition of 1150 Meadowcrest Road for the purpose of maintaining it for public open space and recreation. More than 50 people were in attendance, and nearly all in attendance supported the park district's acquisition of the property. Residents stated that losing the green space would change the entire character of the neighborhood, as many already utilize the space for exercise, walking their dogs, or simple access to the outdoors. Other areas of concern was increased traffic, parking, flooding, and the loss of mature trees. 

Please take this 1-question survey and let us know if the park district should pursue the preservation of open land at 1150 Meadowcrest Rd. in La Grange Park: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C389P76

 

The park district's strong financial position in addition to funding available through a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant may make it possible for the Community Park District to purchase the Village Church Property at 1150 Meadowcrest Rd., saving the mature trees and preserving the location as public open space for passive recreation for the residents of La Grange Park.

 

Should the park district receive grant funding, this property would remain a passive public park in perpetuity. The location is not large enough for baseball, soccer, or other athletic fields, but does already feature a perimeter sidewalk and many mature trees. Should the community support the potential acquisition of this property, the Park District board and staff would work to collect public input on design and features (such as picnic shelters, benches, etc.) to design a space that best serves the community for generations to come.