Lake Carriage Way Park Improvements
As of the beginning of December the overwhelming majority of the project has been completed. The major items to be finished are the installation of the picnic shelter, benches, and bike rack.
As noted in prior updates, the major issue in the project has dealt with the suitability of the soil in the playground as well as the new picnic shelter area. The goal from the beginning has been to ensure that we find a safe solution that is fiscally responsible. We believe that appropriate plans can now commence. The park district Board of Commissioners approved 4 change orders at their regularly scheduled June 10, 2020 meeting. These change orders addressed demolition of the northern portion of playground equipment, furnishing a mud slab for installation of new playground equipment, installation of additional subgrade stone, and revision of subgrade excavation in picnic shelter area and Spina Field plaza area.
Excavation of sand volleyball court has continued and the stone base has been laid. The new pathways adjacent to Spina Field have been excavated.
The large poles for the new Spina Field backstop athletic netting have been installed along with the smaller fence posts that extend down each baseline.
Excavation has started in the challenge course area.
The CXT restroom has been delivered and installed. The new picnic shelter has been delivered as well.
Excavation for the naturalized/pollinator area in the northeast corner of the park continues. Excavation of sand volleyball court has begun. Truckloads of dirt continue to be transported to the south end of park.
Initial backstop supplies have been ordered. Tentative installation for backstop and new fencing is scheduled for mid-March, as weather cooperates.
What began as a smaller project to install new equipment two and a half years ago has grown into a larger project that will improve many areas of Walker Park. As almost of the park resides within the floodway and/or floodplain, permitting through MWRD (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District) has been quite an ordeal. We started the process in February 2018 and as of the first week in September, we are eagerly awaiting final approval. We were just given permission from the Village of Burr Ridge to begin minimal construction to start on areas not within the floodplain. We hope to have final MWRD approval within the next few weeks. This project will be paid for in part with budgeted capital improvement funds as well as a $400,000 OSLAD grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Highlights of Planned Improvements:
As different parts of the project are completed, construction fencing may be moved in order to open up parts of the park that are currently closed or impacted by construction fence which is erected to keep park visitors safe. As weather and various project details can impact construction schedule, we do not have a date of completion but we are hoping to be done in 2020.
We appreciate your patience as we work to improve your park!