Homer Glen approves new road
Parking in Heritage Park also OK’d over objections
The Homer Glen Village Board voted Wednesday to build a new road and additional parking in Heritage Park over the objections of some incoming board members who said the nearly $1.2 million project should not be approved during a lame-duck session.
Village officials said the project will improve access to the northern section of the 103-acre Heritage Park, 14240 W. 151st St., which includes the sledding hill. It also adds 158 parking spaces.
The village budgeted $1.6 million to the project, which has been in the park master plan since at least 2017 and has been discussed during committee meetings and open houses for several years.
The board approved a contract with Austin Tyler Construction for $1.17 million to build the road and parking area. The village will pay for part of the project with a $750,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity, Mayor George Yukich said.
Trustee Ruben Pazmino was the sole board member to oppose the project, saying the board should wait until four people elected April 6 to the seven-member board are seated next month.
Trustee-elect Jennifer Consolino urged the current board to table the vote and allow the new board to consider the project.
“Million dollar spending should never be spent during a lame-duck session when four trustees will no longer be serving on the board,” Consolino said.
Consolino said her slate, which all won the election, is not opposed to the road, but it is not a pressing need. A cheaper option would be to work with the newly elected Homer Township Board and provide a connection path with the township sports complex, which is on the western border of the park, she said.
Most members of the current board disagreed.
Trustee Beth Rodgers said the new road and parking will be a “great value to the community” by
improving access, including that of first responders, to the northeast portion of the park, which is a long walk from the township parking lot. The road will help families trying to trek to the sledding hill in snow, Rodgers said. It will also improve parking during special events, which has been maxed out, she said.
The road has been discussed during the past year and approved by the board, and the village has secured grant money to help pay for the project, Rodgers said.
“This isn’t a rabbit that was pulled out of our hat at the last minute,” she said. “To say something like that is misleading and misguided … To sit here and go we are going to do nothing until the new board comes in is also irresponsible.”
Trustee Sharon Sweas said that while she doesn’t like adding concrete to the park, the new road makes sense to provide better access for people and emergency equipment.
Trustee Keith Gray said providing access has helped make the park successful. While some people may live close enough to walk or bike to the park, the village covers a wide geographical area and he said this will help bring more people.
“It does make sense to continue developing it,” Gray said.