Parks & Facilities • Northside Park Renovations
 Current Status – March 11, 2010
View Northside Park Renovation Closures (386KB, PDF)
Construction
- The sediment basin on the north side of the lagoon has finally been completed and the several hundred feet of 24” diameter black bypass piping have been cut up and removed from the site. The excavated area took a couple of days to fill in with the small amount of water that was coming in from upstream. The result is a large new section of open water, rather than the mud flat that was there previously.
- There continues to be a lot of excavated dirt in the field north of the pool. Our contractor has hauled the suitable material to the sled hill and the remainder will be hauled off site once it has dried out some more.
- The majority of the concrete abutments for the docks and bridges have been poured with only abutments for the southwest bridge and the dock near the wood shop remaining to be done. This work also involves driving piles and pouring concrete bases for the ledge rock along this area and creating the new weir. Bypass channels were excavated earlier this week to direct water around these areas during construction.
- Bridges will begin to arrive on site this week. Originally we had planned to install these bridges as they were delivered, however the warm weather and recent rains resulted in very soft ground that will prevent the cranes from being able to access the areas that they need to at this time. We are hopeful that this work can be done in April.
2010 Schedule
- With spring just around the corner, we have received a few comments about when the park will be accessible. The current phase of construction is scheduled to extend through June. At that time, we expect to have the bridges and paths open to pedestrian traffic. The area around the lagoon, the sled hill, turf adjacent to the paths, and many other areas affected by construction will be newly planted and require time to establish before they will be open.
- Replacement of the playground equipment is expected to begin in late spring/early summer once the equipment arrives.
- Parking and access for the pool during the summer will be a priority. After the pool closes, we anticipate beginning reconstruction of the road and parking lots throughout the park.
- Dredging of the lagoon is expected to begin late summer/early fall. This will likely have little impact on the use of the park since it will likely be a small crew who are working mostly in the water to pump the sediment down to Gary Avenue where it will be dewatered.
Questions or Comments?
Please contact Rob Sperl, Director of Planning, at 630.510.4975 or rsperl@wheatonparks.org. Our Executive Director, Michael Benard, is also available at 630.510.4945 or mbenard@wheatonparks.org for any questions or comments.
Previous Updates
Click on any of the dates below for past updates.
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Northside Park Renovation Overview
The Wheaton Park District will begin construction at the end of September 2009 on this long anticipated project. Since 1999, we have looked at various options to solve ongoing flood related problems at Northside Park. The initial phase of this project will reconstruct the deteriorating weir (dam) near the warming shelter. This will allow the City of Wheaton to widen the culvert at Main Street and reduce the frequency that it becomes flooded. We will also grade and plant the shoreline to prevent erosion, provide water quality benefits, provide forage and habitat for wildlife, and make the area less attractive to geese.
A Stormwater Management Permit for this project was required through DuPage County and the City of Wheaton. This permit includes details on the proposed work and extensive engineering of the watershed. This information is needed to ensure that the project will not negatively impact the existing ecosystem or flooding along the Winfield Creek.
As a part of the permitting process, several other agencies review the plans as well. These include: the Army Corps of Engineers, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources – Office of Water Resources, Kane/DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Similar to DuPage County, these agencies are involved to make sure there are as few negative impacts as possible.
Beyond the initial work phase of work, we are looking at all aspects of the park to ensure that it can meet the needs of the community for the next century. Since November 2008, a small group of neighbors have formed a Friends of Northside Park Committee. This group has been reviewing the current plans and coming up with ideas for work outside of the initial phase. This includes improving the roads and parking lots throughout the park, renovating the cabins, adding new path lighting, and replacing the warming shelter with an environmentally friendly interpretive center.
Thank you for your interest in this project. If you have any further questions or would like to be a part of future planning, please email or call the Wheaton Park District Planning Department at (630) 510-4975.
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