Capital Projects & Improvements

Continuing work to improve your parks & facilities

View summaries for projects currently in planning or construction phases in addition to recently completed projects.

If you’d like to know more about any of these projects, please contact the Parks and Planning Department at 630-653-5429.

Projects Currently in Planning or Construction

March 15, 2024 Update:

An updated Wheaton Park District plan for expanded Cosley Zoo parking would provide 93 parking spaces across the street from the zoo along Gary Avenue. (Click image to enlarge view)

Daily Herald Article: Wheaton reviewing controversial plan to expand Cosley Zoo parking

By Dave Oberhelman

A Wheaton panel has started reviewing a park district plan to expand parking at Cosley Zoo, while residents opposed to the idea are pushing to have voters weigh in on the proposal.

The Wheaton Park District is seeking permission from the city to build a 93-space parking lot across the street from the zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave.

This week, the Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board held a public hearing on the proposal. It will be up to the panel to recommend if the Wheaton City Council should approve or deny the park district’s request for an accessory parking lot on the east side of Gary Avenue opposite the 50-year-old zoo.

A standing-room crowd attended Tuesday’s public hearing. After more than three hours of testimony, the planning and zoning board continued the meeting to April 9.

According to the park district, the 80-space visitor parking lot serving the zoo often reaches capacity, turning potential customers away. The zoo attracts more than 150,000 people annually.

Attorney Phil Luetkehans, representing the park district at the hearing, produced a document stating that Cosley Zoo parking has
been at capacity an average of 174 days over the last eight years.

The proposed parking expansion would address that by creating a 93-space lot on roughly 1.6 acres east of Gary Avenue. The site currently has a 30-space lot for zoo employees only.

However, residents opposed to the plan argue that Cosley Zoo doesn’t need more parking. They say the park district based its claim on staff observations — not data.

Furthermore, opponents — who have launched a petition drive to place an advisory question about the parking proposal on the November ballot — say they believe the additional parking is a precursor to an expansion of the zoo as outlined in a 2017 master plan.
“This is a shell game,” said Tom Frederick, an attorney representing the residents.

In February, Wheaton park board members rescinded the master plan and ordered a new “existing conditions report,” due by Jan. 1, 2025. The report would be the basis of a committee charged with prioritizing facility renovation or replacement projects.

In questioning by Frederick, Shawn Benson of the consulting construction and engineering firm Wight & Company said he had not worked on an expansion plan for the zoo.

Conducted similar to a court proceeding, topics covered during Tuesday’s public hearing included the installation of a turn lane and a traffic signal at the intersection of Gary and Prairie avenues, the entrance to the proposed east parking lot.
Pedestrian safety is one of the concerns raised by opponents of the parking plan.

A city project to improve Gary Avenue is scheduled to begin this summer. “This (parking plan) would not be happening without the Gary Avenue improvements,” Luetkehans said. Neighboring residents also questioned how water released by a detention tank under the lot, which will use permeable pavers, would impact flooding of the Winfield Creek watershed, as well as their own properties.

Benson said the system would provide an 80% reduction in the runoff rate and is required under ordinance to improve water quality.

Mike Benard, executive director of the park district, said a day after the meeting that the district is “grateful to have the opportunity to
present the facts” about the parking proposal. “The constructive feedback we have received from community stakeholders over the past nine months is appreciated,” Benard said, “and was used to arrive at the final plans that are currently under review.”


March 8, 2024 Update:

Cosley Zoo Celebrates 50 Years of Welcoming Children and Families

For 50 years, Cosley Zoo has served the children and families of Wheaton and nearby communities by offering a convenient and inexpensive option for interactions with farm animals and native wildlife. We consider it one of the shining jewels of the Wheaton Park District and believe that our more than 157,000 visitors last year agree.

Despite our outstanding reputation and numerous contributions to our community, such as our conservation projects and biannual cleanup of Winfield Creek, we have recently been the subject of a dedicated and ongoing campaign to prevent the Wheaton Park District from creating a new overflow parking area to give more families the option of visiting the zoo on its busiest days.

Zoo staff have documented that on over 100 days per year, our current parking area is filled to capacity.  This forces families to park on neighborhood streets, or worse, abandon their plans and disappoint their children.  We have planned a new 93 space parking area on the east side of Gary Avenue.  An existing 30 space staff parking lot will be removed for a net increase of 63 parking spaces.  At the same time, the City of Wheaton is installing a crosswalk, traffic light, and other improvements on Gary Avenue to provide more safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and zoo patrons.

Despite being repeatedly presented with facts, a vocal group of parking lot opponents, which started its campaign with false claims about the destruction of wetlands and increased flooding, has moved on to spreading alarm about phantom tax increases, and a massive expansion of the zoo. All to protest the building of a modest, overflow parking lot on property purchased by the Park District for this exact purpose.  They have even gone so far as to file a frivolous lawsuit against the park district, its Executive Director, a Park Commissioner and the Cosley Foundation and have threatened additional legal action against park district commissioners and employees.

Our plan will adhere to city and county stormwater regulations and provide additional parking in a manner that will only positively affect the neighborhood. Of the nearly six acres of related property, the project will actually maintain three and a half acres of green space in its current natural condition while only disturbing two acres for the parking expansion.  The new parking area itself will be one acre in size.

We recognize that a big part of our zoo’s charm is its small size and modest number of animals and attractions that delight younger children and provide parents and grandparents with a convenient recreation option that does not rely on television and computer screens.

Accordingly, the Park Board recently took action to repeal their 2017 approval of the Cosley Zoo 30 year Master Plan which was always tied to private funding. There were no plans to increase taxes related to the Master Plan, only to continue serving our community as we have for decades. Cosley Zoo’s vision remains to provide everyone with a meaningful connection to animals and nature, and that vision doesn’t include drastic changes or abandoning the values that have served our community.

The Park Board has called for Staff to engage our subject matter experts at the Zoo and any necessary outside consultants to complete a comprehensive Cosley Zoo Exhibit and Support Facility Existing Conditions Report.  The results of this study will be prioritized, and stakeholder feedback will be solicited.

As we continue our public and transparent process to seek city approval for our new parking area, we hope that everyone will recognize the benefits of our zoo and provide support at the upcoming Planning and Zoning Board meeting on March 12, 2024 at 7:00 pm at Wheaton City Hall located at 303 West Wesley St.

Final Cosley Zoo Parking Lot Expansion Plan (PDF)

01/08/2024

New Parks Plus Fitness Facility Opened on January 2, 2024

The renovated facility includes a new, one-of-a-kind turf area that enhances CrossFit and HIIT training and is outfitted with equipment and exercise accessories to help you maximize your workout. The facility offers a first in park district fitness centers with a recovery room featuring two Novo XT PRO Massage Chairs that allow members to enjoy the ultimate in relaxation with the S- and L-Track that extends high performance coverage from your neck and shoulders all the way down to your glutes and thighs. The spacious new facility is illuminated with a pleasant cloud lighting system that showcases 75 brand new strength, cardio and adaptive pieces of equipment, including Peloton bikes, CONCEPT2 Skiers, NuStep recumbent cross trainers, and bikes, ellipticals and treadmills with 22-inch touch screen monitors.

Locker rooms are under construction and will feature larger, wooden lockers, refinished tiled floors, new steam rooms, and renovated showers, recovery tubs and saunas. These areas are expected to be completed and open by May of 2024.

Click Images to Zoom

All Photos © Kmiecik Imagery 2023.

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10/19/2023

Community Center Interior Renovations – Phase 2

Renovations to the program rooms on the second floor of the Community Center and the Memorial Room were completed in 2022. The second phase of work continues with the Parks Plus Fitness, the Zone and the Facility Locker Rooms.

Parks Plus Fitness is getting a new look and will feature some of the latest fitness trends with over 60 new strength, cardio, and adaptive equipment pieces as well as a turfed training area and rubberized performance flooring throughout the gym space. The fitness center front desk will be relocated to increase visibility and larger glass walls will allow for more light to enter through the atrium.

The new equipment will include NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainers, Peloton bikes, Concept2 Skiers, treadmills, ellipticals and recumbent bikes with 15-inch touch screen monitors, two completely customized half racks, smith machine, hex squat machine, glute drive machine and fully loaded 8 station hi-lo pulley rig.

The turf area will be designed to help aid in any CrossFit, HIIT training or sports performance training with Assault equipment, heavy bag and multiple TRX stations.

Our NEW recovery room will feature commercial-grade massage chairs, a massage table, foam rollers and massage guns.

The facility locker rooms will also be upgraded with larger wooden lockers, refinished and tiled floors, an added grooming area, renovated showers, recovery tub and sauna as well as a NEW steam room. Additionally, a new family restroom will now be available.

At the other end of the hallway, the Zone, Lincoln Marsh and Graf Rooms will be reconfigured to utilize the space more efficiently and provide better flexibility for multi-use.

Click Images to Zoom

Expected Timeline

Parks Plus Fitness is to be completed by the end of 2023.
The hallway by the Zone and locker rooms will begin in January 2024 and is expected to be completed by May 2024.

Parks Plus Fitness Equipment

Highlights:

  • Over 60 brand-new machines/equipment for strength, cardio and adaptive workouts
  • Over 60 pairs of dumbbells ranging from 5-100 pounds, which include the NEW concept Ybells; combining the functionality of both a kettlebell and dumbbell
  • All new turf and rubber flooring for better performance

Adaptive:

  • SciFit Upper Body Pro1000
  • Two Adaptive Precor Motion AMT Trainers
  • Three NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainers
  • Heavy bag, performance tiers, medicine balls, six stationed TRX straps, Assault bike, rower and treadmill
  • Turfed area

Cardio:

  • Two Peloton Bikes with trainers programmed
  • Ten Precor Treadmills with 15-inch touch screens
  • Six Precor Ellipticals with 15-inch touch screens
  • Four Precor Recumbent Bikes with 15-inch touch screens
  • Two Stair Climbers
  • Four Concept2 Rowers
  • Two Concept2 Skiers

Strength:

  • Two PPF-Customized Half Racks
  • Fully Customized PFFC Bumper Plates
  • Smith Machine
  • 8-Stack Hi-Lo Pulley Rig
  • 9 Plate Strength Machines

Recovery Room:

  • Two Human Touch Novo XT Pro Massage Chairs
  • Massage/Stretching Table
  • Massage Rollers
  • Massage Guns

Locker Rooms:

  • Upgraded Lockers
  • Grooming Area
  • Sauna
  • Recovery Tub
  • New Steam Room
  • Upgraded Showers

01/31/24

UPDATE:

Community Center Parking Lot and Pedestrian Safety Improvements Status

  • Paving – completed in late Fall 2023
  • New protected crosswalk/bike racks – completed in late Fall 2023
  • New handicapped parking spaces and electric car chargers/parking spaces – to be completed in Spring 2024
  • Landscape improvements – projected completion – to be completed in Spring 2024

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09/04/23

UPDATE:

Beginning Wednesday, September 6, the main entrance of the building will be closed. The main entrance is scheduled to reopen on Monday, September 11 (date subject to change).

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08/20/23

Renovations Start August 21

Asphalt, sidewalks and curbs will be replaced around the building’s main and northwest entrances. Improvements to pedestrian safety and vehicular traffic flow are also part of the project.

The work has been broken down into four phases to ensure there is adequate parking throughout the construction.

MAP & SCHEDULE*

Community Center Parking Lot & Pedestrian Safety Improvements

Renovation Phases – Larger Map

Phase 1 (8/21/23-9/10/23): Northwest parking lot, curb, sidewalk. Northwest entrance to the building will be closed. Partial closure to main entrance from Blanchard.

Phase 2 (9/11/23-9/24/23): Sidewalk and curb removal/replacement. Main entrance to the building will be closed.

Phase 3 (9/25/23-10/15/23): Parking lot. Partial closure of main entrance from Blanchard.

Phase 4 (10/16/23-11/12/23): Parking lot.

*Schedule is subject to change.

Nov. 14, 2023

UPDATE:

Schedule of Improvements

  • Briar Patch Park – OSLAD Grant Improvements 2023-2024
  • Playground resurfacing completed in Spring 2023
  • Backstop Project Currently in progress Fall 2023
  • Tennis and Pickleball Courts 2024
  • Outdoor Fitness Equipment 2024
Larger Map View

Future Endeavors

Shane’s Inspiration and Landscape Structures (LSI) designed a universally designed custom playground as part of a contest the park district was awarded for Play for All in 2012. The park district and Play For All Foundation were able to move forward with the 2 to 5-year-old structure in 2014. The contest provided $100,000 worth of equipment for that phase. This design has remained the basis for the budget and the depiction to the public of what is to come as it continues the original design intent of an equestrian-themed play area.

As fundraising continues, installation of the new 5 to 12-year-old playground is planned for 2024.

Recently Completed

The playground replacement at Kelly Park was completed in the Fall of 2022. As part of this project, the asphalt pathways were replaced within the park and were completed in the Spring of 2023.

Click images below to enlarge view.

Tucked back in the Adare Farms neighborhood visitors will find a hidden gem. Hurley Gardens is a small glimpse of what was once the formal garden on the Hurley estate. The gardens include two small structures built in the Neo-Classical Revival style. The area that was reported once to be a swimming pool had been converted into a reflecting pool and fountain. The pool and fountain had become increasingly difficult to maintain in recent years. The park district reconfigured the space to be a self-contained fountain within a formal garden. The fountain is the centerpiece within walkways and formal hedges, groundcovers and annual flowers which will provide visual interest year-round. Work was completed on the fountain and walkways in October of this year. (Plantings to come in the Spring of 2024).

Click images to enlarge view.

On the far east side of town, tucked away in a neighborhood near the border of Glen Ellyn is Hoffman Park. In 1969 the wheels were put into motion to set aside this land as a park. The park is adjacent to the Illinois Prairie Path and features asphalt walking paths, an open space where soccer is often played, a baseball diamond and a playground. Last year, 2022, the walking paths were reconstructed, and the baseball backstop was replaced.  Additionally, some work was done to alleviate slow-draining areas of the park.

This past year the district made plans to replace the playground as part of its ongoing efforts to keep its 23 playgrounds updated. The process of replacing a playground always begins with a survey of the residents who use the park. This input is incorporated into a request for bids that goes out to several playground equipment manufacturers who are asked to provide the best, most exciting playground designs they can offer within the budget that is set for the project. A team of staff ranks these designs by how well they meet the community’s desires in addition to accessibility, durability, and track record of maintenance. The park district has also made it a goal to build all new playgrounds with unitary surfacing such as rubber or artificial turf that is safe and accessible.

The new playground at Hoffman Park will be completed in the Fall of 2023. Opening soon.

Click images to enlarge view.

The master plan for the Sensory Garden includes an area for climbing equipment. Funds for this equipment have been raised through donations and a grant award from the DuPage Community Foundation.

A GT Wave net climbing structure was constructed in 2022. It features a transfer platform, an accessible climbing route and a slide.

The Gravity Rail was also added in 2022 in the Tree House area, where the large, gazebo-like treehouse is accessible via a gently sloping wooden ramp. Riders sit in a swing-style seat attached to a curved rail that lets them glide through the air, just a few feet off the ground, and around the track.

Click images to enlarge view.

Click images to enlarge view.

Last year, the park district received notice that we were awarded $750,000 through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources 2021 Museum Grant program. This is the program that previously funded the roof replacement at the DuPage County Historical Museum. The Wheaton Park District obtained the grant and DuPage County contracted for the work to be completed. Working with DuPage County staff and the restoration architect, it was determined that structural reinforcement in the attic and rebuilding the gutter system was the most critical to prevent deterioration of the structure.

Click images to enlarge view.

Suggestions?

The Wheaton Park District strives to provide quality parks and facilities for our patrons. We welcome your ideas and suggestions. While we may not be able to implement all of these, your input is important to us as we consider projects for the future.