Title
Parks Master Plan Update
History
On May 21, 2021, the Village of Orland Park awarded a contract to Wight & Co. to develop conceptual master plans for Centennial Park, Centennial Park West, Schussler Park and phase III of the John Humphrey Complex.
Stakeholder input is a critical component towards developing a long-term vision which will serve as a blueprint for the development of these park sites. To this end, a number of engagement sessions, as detailed below, have been or will be held to gather input from residents, Village athletic organizations, Village officials and staff.
Engagement Sessions
On July 12, 2021, Wight & Co. hosted a kick-off meeting with the master plan team to review existing parks conditions, gain an understanding of staff’s goals for each park, develop an overall schedule (attached), identify target audiences for engagement and to set dates for potential engagement session dates.
On August 12, 2021, representatives from the Boys Orland Youth Association, Girls Orland Youth Association, the Orland Park Soccer Club, Girls Sparks and the Chicago Fire met with Wight & Co. to share their needs and vision for each of the parks.
On August 24, 2021, Wight & Co. hosted a meeting with the Recreation Advisory Board to gain an understanding of the Board’s desired improvements for each park.
Community engagement sessions were hosted in-person on August 30, 2021, and by Zoom on September 1, 2021. Postcard notices were mailed to 877 residents residing near the planned parks inviting resident participation. Additionally, a robust social media campaign, as well as an e-mail to over 7,000, was sent to notify residents of these engagement opportunities. Approximately sixty (60) residents participated providing input centered around nine (9) categories. Participants then provided input and voted on the most desirable improvements (see attached) for each park.
A collective summary of improvements gathered from these engagement sessions is l...
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