The Park Forest Board of Trustees held their final regular meeting of the month last night at Village Hall. During this meeting, they approved the consent agenda and expressed their intention to follow village staff recommendations for a partial Park Forest Aqua Center renovation.
After the consent agenda, Village Manager Tom Mick explained that the staff was ready to move forward with Option Two, which consists of a $3.5 million partial renovation of the Park Forest Aqua Center, including adding a splash pad. Mick emphasized that time was of the essence and requested that the Recreation, Parks & Community Health Department begin obtaining contractor bids.
Mick asked if any trustees or the mayor had questions about the project. No one at the dais voiced any feedback, questions, or concerns. Mick indicated that at the next meeting on April 7, a motion on the agenda for the Park Forest Board of Trustees to officially approve the staff's plan to proceed would be made.
The future of the Park Forest Aqua Center has been a topic of concern for many residents, with worries that the facility might close permanently. However, the Village is moving forward with a plan that will involve closing the Aqua Center for this season, with hopes of reopening next season, barring any delays or setbacks during renovations.
Once the Park Forest Board of Trustees approves the motion on April 7, the following steps will include completing a detailed plan for the remodel, conducting a thorough due diligence review of existing conditions, and submitting the plan to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for approval. Kevin Adams, the Director of Recreation, Parks, and Community Health, noted in a memo to the Board that IDPH would classify the upcoming project as a "major alteration," requiring the facility to meet current code standards. The state will also identify any additional modifications necessary to ensure compliance.
Adams highlighted that this could impact how the $3.5 million is allocated. Nevertheless, he emphasized that Option 2 would successfully modernize the facility by renovating the most deteriorated and underused pool and replacing it with a new, desirable feature.
The Park Forest Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet again on Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.