Hope for southern West St. Garden Plots

In a very welcome move that can also be viewed as somewhat of a surprise, the Park District Board of Directors voted 4-3 Sept. 24^th against immediate approval of a contract with V3 Construction Group to build new garden plots at DuPage River Park. Packed with concerned residents displaying signs in opposition to the plan, Commissioners Gerry Heide and Suzanne Hart sided with Andrew Schaffner and Ron Ory in a vote that will put off construction by a minimum of 4 weeks, and perhaps much longer. According to Executive Director Ray McGury's statement on behalf of approval of the contract prior to the vote, postponing construction means there is no longer any realistic chance that new plots will be available for the next gardening season. The Park District's new attorney explained that the ordinance passed by the City Council in April amending the current (1988) West St. lease agreement includes very clear language legally mandating the availability of new, replacement plots prior to allowing construction of athletic fields on West St. gardens.

It therefore appears likely (but not certain), that the southern West St. garden plots have been granted a reprieve of at least a year.

The vote creates some hope that alternatives such as the "Gardeners Plan" or other practical, less expensive alternatives for athletic fields will once again

be considered. At the meeting commissioner Shaffner stated that although he would like to purchase more land for open space, "we have enough land to meet residents needs in existing inventory". A simple, workable alternative allows NCHS greater use of Knoch Park and other nearby parks, including Wil-o-Way and Arrowhead that are already owned by District 203. Community athletic teams currently using Knoch Park can take advantage of other under-programmed area parks, with the understanding that development of the 20-acres acquired in 2007 at Nike Park is scheduled to begin this fall and will provide several new fields before long.

In our June newsletter we headlined that there were still several legitimate questions left unanswered, including whether the Park District or the School District would pay the additional cost if the entire project were to exceed its projected $750,000 price tag. It is very important to remember that 216 of the current plots, more than a third, are in the south section and would be displaced, including the entire organic section. When on Sept.25^th the "Daily Herald" reported that 112 plots would be removed from West St., this would only be true if 104 plots are successfully created in the north section. $750,000 would have to cover this, the new athletic fields and the new DuPage River plots if the project were to be completed within its budget.

Park Commissioners voting to delay construction clearly suggested the district could easily end up with a bill larger than the $250,000 thought to be their share.

Residents who had largely not participated in the discussion when the Park Board approved "Option 1A" in January, came out in large numbers June 18th to a Garden Plot Open Hose at the Rubin Center. Mainly from the River Woods and Royce Woods subdivisions near DuPage River Park, residents objected to the design of the new plots. Of special concern included a proposed exit directly across Royce Rd. from Apple River Dr., and the possible appearance of a fence that the gardeners will likely need to have installed to protect their crops from the large deer population.

The Park District listened to the feedback received, and in July hosted another forum highlighting a new design. Among the consequences of this redesign, which now includes a pavilion, was a significant increase in the cost estimates for building a gardening program at the site. It is now thought $250,000 dollars would only be enough to build 155 plots without a fence, rather than the originally proposed 310. Of even greater concern is the lack of an accurate cost estimate for completing the full project, now considered "Phase 2a" and Phase 2b". When questioned staff had no figure available.

Despite efforts to make the program more universally appealing, many residents continue to sternly object to gardening in principle as an appropriate land use along Royce Rd. The Sept.23^rd front cover of the "Naperville Sun" featured a large group of residents displaying a sign asking the Park District to "Save Our Park". David Barclay, President of the River Woods Homeowners Association, took it to the point of hyperbole when quoted as saying, "As people drive into Naperville across the river from Bolingbrook, it's going to look like a shanty-town." Ironically, the vast majority of residents living near the West St. garden plots have shown many times that they like their "shanty-town".

Although the construction of plots at DuPage River still has a reasonable chance of moving forward, opposition now comes from several sides including but not limited to:

1. West St. gardeners who would be displaced.
2. West St. gardeners worried about incompatibility between gardening and sports.
3. West St. area residents concerned about the noise and the possible instalation of lights for the athletic fields. The Green Acres Homeowners Association passed a resolution in January opposing lights at the site earlier this year.
4. West St. gardeners concerned about the suitibility of new plots for gardening.
5. Taxpayers concerned the Park District will have to pay far more than the original $250,000 for a project originally asked for by School District 203. Even though gardeners who live south of 75^th St. may take advantage of new south Naperville plots, they did not petition the Park District to build them.
6. Residents near DuPage River Park who would like it to remain as open space for wildlife, or see something other than garden plots. Some have suggested athletic fields should be built there.
7. Residents all over town who value the unique, successful mix of activities found along West St., that would be the envy of most communities.