BG Park District Seeks Votes On New Playground

After 17 years, ’s playground will be removed, and a new playground will replace it in the same location. The new playground has a scheduled construction start in either late June or early July.

“The has a plan in place to replace playgrounds. The playgrounds only have so long of a life, and they get worn out,” Mike Terson, the park district’s public relations and marketing manager, said. “It’s time to replace the playground at Westchester.”

The playground, which opened in June 1994, was selected on a rotation basis, based on the age of the park. Westchester was scheduled for a new playground last year, but according to Dan Schimmel, executive director of the Buffalo Grove Park District, the budget for the playground was used for other projects. “ is the next park that will receive a new playground,” he said.

According to the Buffalo Grove Park District’s website, the Park District maintains 51 park sites.

La Grange-based NuToys Leisure Products designed the two options for the playground. Residents in the immediate area surrounding Westchester received fliers containing details about the designs.

The first option of the playground design, which features a green and tan motif, will cost $42,009. The second option, which features a blue and yellow motif, will cost $43,951. Both options include slides, climbers, monkey bars, stepping pods, canopies and swings, and both will comprise an area measuring 87 by 36 feet. The options differ slightly in layout and in the type of equipment that is included in each design.

Carla Safron, a frequent visitor to Westchester who said she lives near the park, had not seen any fliers about the proposed playground designs. "I don't think the playground looks that bad," she said. "It's a small playground, and it's easy to watch the kids."

The park has wood chips surrounding the playground. The new playground will feature shock-absorbing pour-in-place rubber surfacing, similar to the surfacing at Alcott and parks. 

In addition, the new designs have features accessible to people in wheelchairs, features that are not in place now.

Westchester has a seahorse spring rider with a plaque dedicated to the memory of Sabrina Hali Siegel. Schimmel said the plaque will be retained and used in the newly constructed playground.

The new playground is funded through a capital improvement account.

Pictures of the two options, ballots and a box to deposit the ballots are available at the Alcott Center. Voting ends Friday, and any resident of the Buffalo Grove Park District may vote once. The ballots include space for voters to provide comments or suggestions.

“We have allowed the community to vote on park designs for a number of years,” Terson said. “We like to get feedback from the parents and children who will use the parks. We also like to make the children a part of the process.”