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Politics & Government

Splashy: Washington Park Improvements on Display

Re-opening ceremony to showcase stormwater improvements, new amenities and the success of a 2008 intergovernmental agreement.

When it officially re-opens this weekend after nearly 18 months of construction to ameliorate flooding in the surrounding neighborhood, Washington Park will not only sport a variety of new amenities and two huge stormwater basins, it will also mark an important milestone in local intergovernmental cooperation.

Like McCollum Park, where stormwater improvements are still under construction, and Sterling North Park, which is in the design phase, the Washington Park project is the result of a 2008 agreement between the Village of Downers Grove and the Downers Grove Park District.

The park, located at 835 Prairie Ave., will be the scene of a public grand re-opening ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy light refreshments and tour the park, which features new playground equipment, picnic areas, athletic fields, decorative fencing and entryway signs, a three-tier water fountain and plaza.

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"These agreements are a terrific example of how local government bodies need to work together to meet the needs of the community," said Bob Gelwicks, president of the Downers Grove Park Board.

"The village is able to reduce the cost and time frame to address its stormwater needs, and the community gets an outstanding park in the middle of the village. The park district is also able to add and improve its athletic facilities. This is a true win-win situation," he said.

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According to the village, widespread flooding from heavy rains in October 2006 prompted officials to address deficiencies in the infrastructure and maintenance of the community's stormwater system.

In September 2007, the village council approved the Watershed Infrastructure Improvement Plan, which identifies areas in the community where drainage and flooding issues exist and recommends solutions to each problem. Two of the areas identified as a "high priority" were Washington and McCollum parks.

"Projects with a high priority address problems that result in an immediate danger to the public's health, safety and life, or complete loss of property value and structural damage," said Doug Kozlowski, village communications director.

"Problems that cause disruption of major traffic routes were also classified as high. The areas in and around these parks were prone to the types of flooding issues associated with the high-priority designation," he said.

Washington Park was closed in fall 2008 after the village council and park district board each approved an intergovernmental agreement that allowed the village to use three acres of the park to construct two above-ground stormwater detention basins to collect stormwater after large rain events.

The stormwater improvements are expected to reduce the potential for flooding in the Washington Park neighborhood and surrounding areas, including Bryan Place between Franklin and Rogers streets.

"Each of the two basins will function as athletic fields once the sod and grass planted is firmly rooted," Kozlowski said. "Using public land to create detention basins saves significantly on the cost of this project. Detention areas were created and additional projects were undertaken to build the infrastructure needed to convey stormwater to the area."

The two basins can handled a combined total of nine acre-feet of water, Kozlowski said. The amount is equal to 2.5 million gallons or about as much water as it takes to fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Each basin was outfitted with a soil and sand mix and perforated drain tiles which will allow it to drain fully within 36 after a major rain event, he said.

Minor storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water main work on Washington Street, between Prairie Avenue and Franklin Street, as well as at the intersection of Elm and Franklin streets, were also outlined in the project.

All work phases of the project are expected to be completed by next spring, Kozlowski said. The park project came in about six months behind schedule due to a variety of factors including the excavation of materials from Washington School, which previously sat on the site, and a summer strike by Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

The Washington Park stormwater-improvement project was funded using proceeds from a $24.7 million general obligation bond issued in 2008, as well as other revenues in the village's Stormwater Fund, Kozlowski said.

To date, the cost of the improvements has totaled $3 million. Without the intergovernmental agreement, the cost of the project would have been $7.9 million, he said. "[This is] due to the fact that land acquisition equivalent to the three acres needed to construct the detention basins would have cost approximately $6.2 million. As a result of working together, a savings of $4.9 million was realized."

In exchange for the use of land, the village allocated $1.3 million for new park amenities, which were approved by the park district. "We are very excited about the recreational benefits to the community for decades to come," Park District Administrator Dan Cermak said in a written statement.

Also funded through the bond issue and a key component of the intergovernmental agreement were stormwater improvements made to McCollum Park, 6801 Main St., including the installation of a new detention basin.

Undersized storm sewers, a lack of stormwater storage and insufficient inlet capacity had caused street and yard flooding in nearby neighborhoods. The new basin at McCollum Park will be connected to the existing stormwater system on 67th Street. The cost to date of the improvements is $1.6 million, Kozlowski said.

"McCollum is getting an irrigated, regulation-size soccer field as a result of this improvement," Gelwicks said. "In anticipation of this, we relocated and rebuilt the basketball courts and sand volleyball to significantly increase usage."

When asked if the village and park district will use intergovernmental agreements in the future to complete projects that will improve the quality of life and recreational opportunities for residents, Gelwicks said, "The village and park district have a great relationship, and as needs arise, I would expect that we will continue to work together to meet the needs of the community."

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