Referendum Details
The Oak Brook Park District has the opportunity to secure a valuable parcel of open space for the community. On November 6, the Oak Brook Park District is asking voters if it should issue up to $17.9 million in bonds which would be repaid over a 20-year period to purchase the 34-acre property at Jorie Boulevard and Kensington Road, commonly known as the “McDonald’s Soccer Fields.”
What would the Park District District do with the 34 acres adjacent to Central Park?
The park district would maintain the open space for the community. Should the referendum pass and the park district acquire the land, it would:
• Maintain and improve the existing walking paths.
• Continue operation and maintenance of the existing athletic fields, which would otherwise be lost to residential or commercial development.
The park district will rely on community input to determine, prioritize, and budget for any future improvements to the land.
What will happen to the property if the referendum does not pass?
Commercial or residential development on this site is probable if the referendum does not pass. The property is currently zoned commercial with a special use for recreation. The current draft of the Village of Oak Brook's Commercial Areas Revitalization Plan proposes rezoning the McDonald's Fields Property to Multi-Family Residential (pages 5 and 14).
What is the maintenance plan for the property should the referendum pass?
If the measure is approved, the Park District would promptly issue the bonds to purchase the land. Once acquired, the land would be maintained as open recreational space.
Following the purchase, the Park District would execute the improvements necessary to ensure that recreational use residents have indicated is a priority can safely resume on the property:
- Inspect and resume maintenance of the walking paths
- Inspect and resume maintenance of the existing athletic fields
- Reopen recreational opportunities at the existing athletic fields
After completing the maintenance and improvements needed to ensure safe recreational use, the Park District would rely on community input to determine, prioritize, and budget any future improvements to the land.
Ongoing maintenance, including mowing, turf care, field striping, waste removal, etc., would be supported by the Oak Brook Park District’s current operating budget.