The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District is moving ahead with plans to improve the park and the playground area at Irwin Park, the busiest park in the park district just east of downtown Homewood in the 1800 block of Ridge Road.
At the board’s March 19 meeting, park commissioners agreed to hire Upland Design to help with design plans and the application for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant. The contract is for $11,750.
Upland will host a public meeting in the next few weeks to hear from park users on what they like about the design plan or what they’d like to see changed or added.
In January the park board reviewed three proposals with low, medium and high budgets. Commissioners went with the plan that calls for the most improvements: updating the play equipment, adding an outdoor exercise area, a shade area, activities for seniors, benches, planters and beautification areas.
The current estimated cost is nearly $975,000. The park board hopes the OSLAD grant will cover half the cost.
Parks Executive Director Doug Boehm estimates the process should take at least two years. The park board would budget for the improvements over two budget years.