Development on menu at former McDonald’s site

Oak Brook given $400K open space grant to fund plans

The Oak Brook Park District has been awarded a $400,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant from the Illinois Association of Park Districts to help pay for the development of 34 acres of the former McDonald’s

property.

The park district paid McDonald’s $15.8 million in February for the vacant land, which for several years has been used as soccer fields. The purchase was made possible after the park district passed a $17.9 million referendum in 2018.

Wight and Company, a consultancy firm, was hired last year to come up with a plan using resident input for the long-term development and improvement

of the property, along with an existing portion of adjacent Central Park, south of Ginger Creek.

More than 20 significant projects, at a cost of $10 million to $12 million, are part of the plan and will be distributed through the operating and capital budgets through 2030.

Lore Kosey, the park district’s executive director, said that while the successful referendum allowed for the purchase of the property, there won’t be another

referendum seeking funds to help pay for the development.

Bob Johnson, the park district’s director of parks and planning, said the grant will help fund the construction of two full-sized soccer fields, additional walking trails, two outdoor fitness stations, a central plaza with a basketball court and two bag-toss courts, two trail-side picnic shelters and a paved parking lot.

Construction is expected to begin in late spring into

early summer.

The $400,000 in grant funds gives the park district $2.5 million on hand to begin work, Kosey said. However, it doesn’t include, for example, $500,000 each needed for restrooms and a replacement walking bridge over Ginger Creek, which separates the north and south ends of the park.

She said the park district will continue to apply for grant funds and do work as money is available and will apply for another Open

Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant.

“We can apply every year and have a chance, as long as funds are available,” she said.

The Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant program was established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986 to provide financial assistance to local government agencies for the acquisition and development of land for public parks and open space.