Shaping the Future of Oak Park Parks
For information on construction at Longfellow Park, please view the Longfellow Park Current Projects page. Below is information on how the site plan was developed for Longfellow Park.
Longfellow Park Site Master
Plan Development
Project Information
A site master
plan has been developed for Longfellow Park. Here is an overview of the planning process.
Focus groups were held on September
19, 2006, at Longfellow Center to collect information on safety
and security, buildings and grounds, passive space, sports
and creative play. Focus groups were also held with District
97 representatives and Park District staff (focus
group comments). At the focus groups, all attendees reviewed
a current
site analysis and current
site condition images which were developed and distributed
by landscape architects from Planning Resources, Inc. who
have been contracted to complete the Longfellow Park Site
Master Pl an.
The first community meeting to gather information regarding
the current and future use of Longfellow Park was held on
Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 9am at Longfellow Center,
610 S. Ridgeland Avenue (meeting
comments). At this meeting, attendees were encouraged
to complete a brief questionnaire (Longfellow
Park Questionnaire Results). This questionnaire was
also available at the Hedges Administrative Center, 218
Madison.
A second community meeting (meeting
comments) was held on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at
7pm to present 3 park concepts. (see below). These 3 park concepts were presented to the Park
Board and the Park District Citizen Committee at the Committee
of the Whole Meeting on Thursday, November 2, 2006 at
7:30pm at the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield. There
was no public comment at this meeting.
Community
input was collected at the second community meeting which was used to
develop a draft concept of the Longfellow Park Site Master
Plan. A third community meeting was held Tuesday, November
21, 2006 at 7pm at Longfellow Center to present the draft
recommendation (see below) for the Longfellow Park Site Master
Plan (meeting
comments). This draft recommendation
was presented to the Park Board at the Committee of the
Whole Meeting on Thursday, December 7, 2006 at
the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield.
Draft Recommendation
Draft Recommendation North Enlargement
Due to the receipt of additional public input regarding the design for the Longfellow Park site plan, a 4th Community Meeting was held on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7pm at Longfellow Center to present a final master plan draft recommendation (see below). This final draft was placed on the Committee of the Whole agenda on February 1, 2007 and was accepted at the Regular Park Board Meeting on February 15, 2007.
Final Master Plan Recommendation
Final Master Plan Recommendation North Section
Longfellow Park Tree Preservation Plan
Oak
Park-River Forest Community Foundation and the Park
District of Oak Park awarded grant for accessible recreation
projects
The Park District was notified on April 25, 2008 that an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space and Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) matching grant in the amount of $400,000 has been awarded for this park renovation project. The Park District was eligible for this grant program due to the successful passing of the “Renew Our Parks” referendum by Oak Park voters in April 2005. The local matching amount of $400,000.00 will be funded out of the Park District of Oak Parks Capital Improvement Fund.The project is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2008.
The Park District of Oak Park values public input and feedback.
To provide input or for further information, please contact
Diane Stanke at (708) 725-2022 or dianes@oakparkparks.com.
Longfellow Park Site Master
Plan Schedule
Saturday, September 23, 2006 9am, Longfellow Center, 610 S. Ridgeland
Avenue
Community Meeting to collect public information.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 7pm, Longfellow Center, 610 S. Ridgeland
Avenue
Community Meeting to present 3 park concepts.
Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:30pm, Oak Park Conservatory, 615
Garfield
Park Board Committee of the Whole Meeting to discuss 3 park
concepts.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 7pm, Longfellow Center, 610 S. Ridgeland
Avenue
Community Meeting to present a draft recommendation.
Thursday, December 7, 2006 7:30pm, Oak Park Conservatory, 615
Garfield
Park Board Committee of the Whole Meeting to discuss site
plan draft recommendation.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007, 7pm, Longfellow Center, 610 S. Ridgeland Avenue
Community Meeting to present a revised draft recommendation.
Thursday, February 1, 2007, 7:30pm, Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield
Park Board Committee of the Whole Meeting to discuss revised draft recommendation.
Thursday, February 15, 2007, 7:30pm, Administrative Center, 218 Madison
Park Board Meeting to consider action on plan.
|
