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
08/26/2022
Community Center Renovations
It has been over 30 years since the Wheaton Park District Community Center was built. In 2019, we contracted Williams Architects to develop plans and specifications to renovate the interior spaces throughout the building. This is a project that is intended to be completed in phases over several years to allow use of the building to continue during construction.
Work on Phase 1 of the project was approximately 50% complete when Covid-19 occurred, and we directed Williams to stop work. They resumed their work in 2021 and were able to budget for this phase to be completed in 2022. The first phase includes a fresh new look and finishes for the Memorial Room and stage as well as the program rooms on the second floor.
The Memorial Room will have new carpeting with a vibrant green and grey pattern. The walls will be repainted, and the fabric sound panels will be replaced with a new colorful style. The stage will also be refinished. A separate bid will replace the sound and light system in the room.
The Northside Room will have a patterned solid vinyl surface that is suitable for the arts and crafts that occur in that room. Cabinets and sinks will remain with new finishes and fixtures.
The Arrowhead, Central and Atten rooms will receive a carpet pattern similar to that in the Memorial room. Cabinets and sinks will remain with new finishes and fixtures as well. The Kelly and Rathje rooms will the cabinets and sinks will be replaced with closet space to store materials for programs. Finishes will be similar to the other rooms with patterned solid vinyl floors similar to those in the Northside room.
The Willow Point and Presidents rooms will remain similar to their existing conditions with the addition of small storage rooms for program equipment.
All rooms will receive new window roller shades. New chairs and tables will be provided for all areas.
Bids were received in June, and we selected Efraim Carlson to complete this project at a cost of just over half a million dollars. Work is scheduled to begin with the Memorial Room in early September and all construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Future phases include updates for Parks Plus Fitness, the Zone, first-floor preschool rooms, hallways and restrooms. Please check back for news and updates as we proceed.
Future Endeavors
Recently Completed
10/01/2021
Northside Park Interceptor Sewer Replacement Project
Community Meeting Newsletter (PDF)
If you have any questions or comments, please contact:
Jim Snell
NSI Construction Engineer
JSnell@baxterwoodman.com | 815-444-3321
10/08/2021
Presidents Park Reopened October 8, 2021
Renovations are complete and include new playground equipment, paths, a sports court and a ballfield backstop. We have a few minor finishing touches to make but it’s open and ready for all to enjoy! Thank you to the community and neighbors for your input.
07/07/2021
Presidents Park Playground Construction to Begin
Based on the results from our recent neighborhood survey, the Wheaton Park District developed a plan to replace the playground and improve the park. From the feedback we received, playground equipment from Gametime was selected. Please see the artist rendering below of the equipment that will be installed.
With the expertise of a civil engineer and careful review by the City of Wheaton, plans were developed to elevate the playground and the sports court. There are certain constraints we are required to work within to ensure that the primary function of the park as a stormwater detention facility will be maintained and continue to hold the appropriate volume of stormwater. For every cubic yard of an area that is filled, a cubic yard of soil must be excavated from elsewhere within the detention area. We will be able to raise the new playground approximately 1.5 feet higher than the old playground. This elevation will help water to move off the play area more quickly after large storm events. It is not feasible for the playground to be elevated fully above high water retention from the largest storm events.
Park improvements will also include all-new paths, a sports court, and a new ballfield backstop.
Demolition of the old playground is to begin this week, weather permitting. It is anticipated that construction will take approximately two months to complete.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact Steve Hinchee by email or by phone at 630.510.4976.
03/09/21
Presidents Park Playground Survey Results Summary
President’s Park is budgeted for replacement in 2021. In December, 700 neighbors of President’s Park received a postcard inviting them to complete a survey about their use of the playground, and what type of equipment they would like to see at the park. The survey was also announced on the district’s Facebook page which reached a total of 5,400 people. As a result, 194 surveys were returned providing valuable input.
Presidents Park Playground Survey Results Summary (PDF)
11/2/20
A Message from Rob Sperl, Director of Parks and Planning:
I write today to provide an update concerning the Playground at Presidents Park. The playground is 25 years old and based on its condition, is overdue for replacement. The look and playability of the playground is certainly not up to Wheaton Park District current standards. I would like to apologize for this and provide you with an explanation of how we got behind on the replacement of this playground and outline our intentions for the near future.
The property known as Presidents Park is owned by the City of Wheaton and has a functional purpose as a dry bottom stormwater retention facility identified as “Lake A”. In 1978, the City leased the property to the Wheaton Park District to facilitate the creation of a park in a neighborhood that lacked one. ln 1995, the Park District made improvements to the park including a playground, a basketball court, an inline skating area and backstops.
It is apparent that the playground equipment at Presidents Park is old and worn. The routine flooding and occasional vandalism at this park have advanced the age of the equipment and has added to the cost of regular maintenance. The bottom of a retention basin is not an ideal location for playground equipment.
In 2017, we surveyed the neighborhood about whether this playground should remain in its current location or be removed. Most responses favored keeping a playground in that location. As a result, we planned for replacement in 2020.
In July 2019, we began researching the possibility of building the new playground on higher ground outside of the flood zone in the park. As part of our research, we met with the City of Wheaton Engineering Department to get their input. We learned that the City was investigating various options for improving flood protection throughout the City and that Presidents Park was one location under consideration to facilitate that goal. The City of Wheaton Engineering Department then advised us to hold off on any improvements for the following year. Earlier this year, we followed up with the City regarding the status of their stormwater improvement investigations related to Presidents Park and were informed that they were no longer actively investigating or considering any changes to the Presidents Park property related to flood protection.
Looking forward, we have included the replacement of the Presidents Park playground in our 2021 budget proposal at a projected cost of $250,000 which the Park Board has approved in concept. However, because of our previous dialogue with the City regarding possible future flood mitigation projects, we are taking steps to amend our lease agreement with the City of Wheaton to ensure that this investment will be protected. Once we come to an agreement with the City of Wheaton, the Park Board can then approve the playground replacement expenditure and Park District staff can begin the process of designing the new playground. The first step in the design process is to seek public input. You will have the opportunity to provide your opinions on playground design via a survey this winter. Ideally, the new playground will be built in the same location in the Spring of 2021.
We look forward to hearing from you.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach me at rsperl@wheatonparks.org or 630-510-4970.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Rob Sperl
Director of Parks and Planning
rsperl@wheatonparks.org | 630-510-4970
July 23, 2020 ——
Memorial Park will open to the public on or about Tuesday, July 28
A few final things are being wrapped up on the exterior of the building this week while the park is still closed. The bandshell’s removable stadium chairs have arrived and were set up this week. Unfortunately, the chairs will be going back into storage until next season. We expect to be done this week and the construction fence is scheduled to come down beginning Monday, July 27.
Recently completed work includes painting and repairs to the Mary Lubko Building, completing the installation of the sound system, and final touches to the landscaping.
Thank you for your continued patience. We hope you enjoy the park and look forward to performances next season!
Updated pictures of the park are provided below.
For questions or concerns, please contact:
Rob Sperl
Director of Parks & Planning
Wheaton Park District
Email: rsperl@wheatonparks.org
June 30. 2020 ——
Wheaton Municipal Band concerts are now streaming
Every Thursday at 7:30P throughout the summer
View them here: https://wheatonmunicipalband.org/
These concerts spotlight various members of the band and feature highlights of previous concerts over the years. All concerts are available on the Band’s website to listen to at any time. The last stream release happens on August 6.
June 10, 2020 ——
Over the last several months, there has been much progress on the Memorial Park Renovation Project. While Covid-19 slowed many things down significantly and brought other projects to a complete standstill, our contractors were able to continue most work without interruption. The schedule was extended slightly to allow work to continue safely with proper social distancing.
Recently completed work includes the war memorial and reinstallation of the Doughboy statue. The new location is more prominent and brings the previously dispersed memorials together in a unified setting.
The Lion’s Terrace on the south end of the Mary Lubko Center with its new landscape is another beautiful addition. Park staff took this opportunity to replace the parking lot plantings with a mix of evergreens and flowering plants that will provide year-round interest. Remaining at this point is some painting, sound system installation, and landscaping which is progressing rapidly.
While it is unfortunate we were not able to kick off the season with the annual Taste of Wheaton, it has been exciting to see the bandshell take shape and begin to take on its finished look. With a modern sound system and useful backstage areas, we are confident that the new facility will serve the Wheaton community for years to come.
Rob Sperl
Director of Parks & Planning
Wheaton Park District
rsperl@wheatonparks.org
February 14, 2020–
The new paver parking lot adjacent to the Mary Lubko Building is complete.
Construction of the new bandshell and underground utilities is 45% complete.
The foundation of the memorial area is complete and granite is being installed.
Lions Terrace construction is underway.
Removable stadium-style seating for 300 has been ordered and will be installed in front of the stage.
September 16, 2019–
New Lions Terrace at Memorial Park
Built in part through the generosity of the Wheaton Lions Club
Serving the Wheaton community for over 95 years.
Find out how you can get involved or learn more about the Wheaton Lions Club Pillars of Service at
wheatonlions.org or facebook.com/WheatonIllinoisLionsClub
September 1, 2019–
The Memorial Park Groundbreaking was held on Monday, August 19 at 6P. Many came out to celebrate the beginning of the bandshell and park renovation project.
July 25, 2019–
July 18, 2019–
Bids were opened on July 10 and we are happy to announce they came in very favorably allowing us to move forward with all aspects of the project. Our lowest responsible bidder was Fredrick Quinn Construction (FQC). They were prequalified to bid and have excellent prior experience. The park board approved their proposal at the July 17, 2019 board meeting so we will remain on schedule to begin construction on or about August 5.
Recently the doughboy statue was removed to be stored off-site during construction. It will be returned once the new memorial area is constructed.
Memorial Area Summary – July 2019 (PDF)
Updated project renderings:
June 13, 2019–
Updated Project Renderings
April 4, 2019–
Summary & Presentation from Memorial Park Plan Meeting held April 2, 2019:
March 18, 2019–
Memorial Park Stakeholders,
Over the last several weeks our team has worked hard to bring this project back into budget. We are still slightly over the $5.1 million initially expected, but we are offsetting this with $465,000 in grants received and allocating some portions of the project to other funding sources. In addition, we will bid the canopy and terrace as alternates to ensure we can stay within our means.
Most importantly we have retained everything in the original program that was developed two years ago. Savings were achieved by a slight reduction in some of the spaces and a simplified design. These are indicated in the revised plans that are listed below. We also revised some of the material selections. For example, rather than cladding surfaces, we are intending to use natural surfaces.
Next Steps – We are required to obtain a Special Use Permit from the City of Wheaton. This will be presented at the April 8 city council planning meeting. The primary reason for this permit is that we are moving the Bandshell. Otherwise, all uses are substantially similar to what is existing in the park. In advance of the special use meeting, we would like to meet on Tuesday, April 2 at 6pm at the DuPage Historical Museum to discuss the revised plan, our programming intentions, and any other thoughts related to the project.
Comparison of Concept to Current Plan and Existing Bandshell Dimensions (PDF)
February 14, 2019–
Thank you to all of the stakeholders who have attended our design progress and renovation meetings in November and January.
As we are nearing the completion of design development, we contracted a construction management firm in January to provide an independent estimate of the current project scope. Unfortunately, their estimate substantially exceeded our $5.1 million construction budget. Our team will be working hard to find ways to bring the project back into the budget or consider sources of additional funding to meet the original project goals and what will provide the most impact for park users. We hope to be able to provide these recommendations in April.
To conclude with some good news, we learned recently that the project was awarded a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant. This program provides funding for projects that encourage outdoor recreation. We all know the state financial concerns, but the source of this funding comes from a portion of the real estate transfer tax that is dedicated specifically to this program.
Finally, our construction schedule has been revised (in part due to the above concerns) to start in August. This will allow many of our events such as the municipal band, Music Mondays, and Brewfest to remain at Memorial Park this summer. We are optimistic that this delayed start will not affect the ability to have the park renovations done by June 2020.
Summary & Presentation from Memorial Park Plan Meeting – January 9, 2019
Memorial Park Renovations Presentation (PDF)
Memorial Park Stakeholders Meeting Summary (PDF)
Summary & Presentation from Memorial Park Plan Meeting – November 17, 2018
Memorial Park Renovations Presentation (PDF)
Memorial Park Stakeholders Meeting Summary (PDF)
Historic Memorial Park is the district’s oldest park and has added to our quality of life for nearly 100 years! Close to downtown and close to home, the park is a popular site where many play, enjoy nature, attend music and social events, raise money for charities, and honor our veterans and other loved ones no longer with us. The park is also the hub of the district’s Mary Lubko Center, visited by thousands of active adults annually, and is home to the Wheaton Municipal Band.
In 2016, the district contracted with Kimley Horn, an architectural design firm, to develop concepts for the future of Memorial Park. Kimley Horn then hosted a series of focus groups to gather input from stakeholders including community partners, neighbors of the park, program users, and special event attendees.
From there, Kimley Horn developed conceptual plans for the site, which were presented to the district’s Board of Commissioners at its April 2017 meeting. The concept focuses on enhancing the amphitheater, renovating the veterans memorial, making building modifications to the Mary Lubko Center, and implementing parking improvements.
Project includes an entrance garden at the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Road that welcomes visitors to downtown Wheaton.
The Park District has partnered with Wheaton Kiwanis, Western DuPage Special Recreation, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and several other local partners to create a play area that serves special needs children and is welcoming to everyone. Phase 1, including the Pony Stables Playground, the Sound and Fragrance Gardens, and the Central Gathering Area are completed and open to the public. The larger vision for this area includes a play-for-all accessible treehouse for which we are nearing our fundraising goals, allowing us to break ground in 2018.
Accessible Treehouse Plan (PDF)
If you would like to learn more about this project or become involved, please visit playforalldupage.org.
The popularity and demand for pickleball has been growing steadily over the last few years and residents have expressed interest in having dedicated courts for their use. We currently have pickleball striping on two tennis courts at Northside Park and one at Atten Park, but the mixed-use of these courts meant that the netting was at a slightly different height from regulation.
Staff worked with the Athletics department to determine that Atten Park was the most feasible and economic location to install two permanent pickleball courts.
Plans and aerial imagery:
Pickleball Courts & Existing Basketball Court Plans (PDF)
Pickleball Proposed Location Aerial Plans (PDF)
Pickleball – Aerial View Plans (PDF)
The Wheaton Park District has continued to improve the Central Athletic Complex. Many of the site renovations were completed in 2016 including the plaza for winter ice skating. In January 2018, upgraded batting cages and the WDSRA’s Rec and Roll area were opened. The interior lobby was redone in the fall of 2019 and included redoing the floors, enlarging the lobby to create more space for a front desk, building an interior concession area and updating the restrooms.
UPDATE: 9/5/19——–
Construction is complete and the indoor track is now open to residents.
UPDATE: 8/22/19:
The surfacing materials have arrived and the installation has begun. We plan to reopen the track on or before September 9. Thank you for your continued support of this resurfacing project. Join us the week of September 9-13 each day beginning at 9A for refreshments and giveaways.
UPDATE 07/19/19:
We have been notified by our contractor that installation of surfacing is to begin on August 19 with a goal completion date of August 31. We will continue to update the public on the progress of the project. Thank you for your continued support.
UPDATE 06/24/19:
Due to unanticipated issues, this project is behind schedule by approximately 75 days.
– Concrete removal has been completed
– Prep work on new leveled concrete base, walls and windows is in process.
– New concrete installed. Concrete curing requires additional time.
– Once surface is leveled, rubber surface installation will begin.
Project Purpose: The track floor replacement project was undertaken to replace the worn surfacing and eliminated banked corners that were not ADA* compliant.
Estimated Completion Date: Late Summer 2019
We apologize for the delay of construction on the indoor track. Our goal is to provide a high level of service to our community. We will continue to update the public if any additional information becomes available or completion dates change.
*ADA stands for the American Disabilities Act
In the summer of 2018, the Wheaton Park District broke ground on a nature play area within the 151-acre Lincoln Marsh Natural Area. The location of the play area is adjacent to the Lincoln Avenue entrance.
The project was funded through the ComEd Green Region Grant and Friends of the Lincoln Marsh.
Learn more about the play area at https://lincolnmarsh.org/prairie-patch-play-area/
The park district recently completed plans to repair the shoreline and improve the quality of the pond at Rathje Park. This park is a popular location for fishing in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The project also included replacement of the parking lot with permeable pavers and a rain garden near the preschool building to collect stormwater run-off.
While these improvements will benefit water quality, we will continue to treat for invasive plants and algae growth that has occurred at this pond and others throughout the district. This problem is often more prevalent in the spring due to stratification. More information is available at Lake Stratification and Mixing (PDF)
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.
Use an Interactive Map to browse Capital Projects & Park Improvements
