West Cook News

Brookfield Parks & Recreation extends an invitation to residents for a community meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Brookfield Village Hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave., to discuss planned improvements to Creekside Park.

As part of the Burlington Avenue Street and Storm Sewer Improvements Project, which began in the spring, one of the play structures at Creekside Park, located at Burlington and Grove avenues, had to be dismantled. Originally, the plan was to reinstall the play structure after the project's completion.

However, the structure sustained damage during dismantling and cannot be reinstalled. The remaining play equipment at Creekside Park is 25 years old and has been identified for replacement.

Prior to replacing the equipment, funds have been allocated for park improvements. Residents are invited to the Aug. 20 community meeting where a concept plan for the new park will be presented and feedback will be accepted.

The concept plan will be submitted with a grant application to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in September with hopes of receiving an OSLAD grant, which are awarded to improve or create public park spaces.

The Village of Brookfield has hired Wight & Co. to assist in writing the grant application. This will also include a concept for connecting Creekside Park to South Kiwanis Park, which is directly east of Creekside Park and where plans are under way to design a trail system in consultation with experts from the National Park Service.

Design elements for the concept plan include a new Creekside Park playground, a toilet facility in Creekside Park, and a pedestrian bridge over Salt Creek leading to nature recreation space, native landscaping, and a trail system.