Thanks to everyone who came out to the master plan meeting at the boathouse. We had over 60 residents there and lots of great discussions on the future of the park. A good summary of the meeting was printed in the
Chicago Tribune.
One of the things that was presented at the meeting was our goals and priorities for the Lake Ellyn Master Plan. This gives a nice look into what we hope to accomplish with this master plan, so I'm including a copy of it here. I will also post here when we have the date for the next public meeting date.
Lake Ellyn Park
Master Plan
GOALS and PRIORITIES
PARK EXPERIENCE
1. A variety
of experiences, especially connected to water and the lake, will
support greater use and improve the value of Lake Ellyn Park to the community;
2. The use and
enjoyment of the park will be optimized through the preservation and enhancement
of primarily
passive recreation uses;
3. Enhanced play
space for all children will contribute to the health and vitality of the
neighborhood and community;
4. The community will benefit to the degree
the park can provide space for shared, mutually beneficial use by
Glenbard West High School, the Village of Glen Ellyn, and the Glen Ellyn Park
District;
5. The use of the
boathouse for various functions will be enhanced through historically sensitive
improvements such as separation of private events and general public
access to facilities and the lake;
6. The enjoyment and
safety of the park will be enhanced though appropriately improved lighting, wayfinding,
and accessibility for people of all abilities;
BEAUTY and AUTHENTICITY
1. Improved views and
access to Lake Ellyn from various vantage points will greatly enhance the
scenery and appreciation for the lake;
2. The preservation
and enhancement of historic vegetation and tree canopy is of utmost
importance to the character and enjoyment of the park;
3. Recognition and celebration
of Lake Ellyn’s cultural significance to the Glen Ellyn community will
increase admiration of the park; i.e. through the integration of local art,
craft, and fabrication of certain site features;
4. Park visitors will
appreciate an opportunity to learn about Lake Ellyn’s rich history through
interpretive elements woven into the site improvements, i.e. display of
historic documents and photographs in the boathouse;
5. The visibility and
appreciation of the park can be expanded and improved through renewal
and upgrades to paths, furnishings, landscapes, and other amenities that
unify all three parcels;
SUSTAINABILITY and
ECOLOGY
1. Clean water in Lake Ellyn will
improve its health and beauty;
- improved
management of all precipitation both on-site and within the tributary
watershed will benefit Lake Ellyn and downstream conditions;
- Improved water
quality will provide better habitat for aquatic vegetation, fish,
and other species;
2. Comprehensive
solutions that address multiple objectives gain greater
value for the investment made;
- Planned
infrastructure improvements can provide an opportunity to create enhancements,
i.e. the lake overflow reconstruction could be designed to create a water/park
gateway feature;
- Off-site
redevelopment can be done in a way that improves the park, i.e. planned
reconstruction of Lenox Road as a green street;
- An integrated,
holistic approach other sources of funding may become available;
3. Expanded park
programming and improved facilities can increase revenue streams, which can then
in turn help fund and support a higher quality, more functional and beautiful
park;
4. On-going
operations, maintenance, and stewardship are design considerations that are
closely linked to first cost decisions, and when properly addressed, will lower
costs and improve park performance.
