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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
Did you just ask: WHAT IS THE PARK DISTRICT PLANNING FOR 2023??
Mark your calendars now for these important dates!
Details will be shared once they are all set!! Keep an eye on the website (www.grandwoodpark.net), and for email updates in your inbox.
Important Information from the Warren Township Highway Department
Tips to Reduce Problems When It Snows
· Please do not shovel or blow snow back into the street after it has been plowed and salted. Snow that is deposited on the street can refreeze and cause hazardous conditions for you or your neighbors.
· When it starts to snow, park your vehicle off the street. This protects it from being plowed in. It also prevents receiving a ticket and being towed.
· Check that your mailbox and post are in good repair and that they are behind the curb, not leaning out over the street.
· If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home, clear the snow around it. It is there for your protection and that of your neighbors.
· Please remove portable basketball hoops from the right-of-way. The Township is not responsible for damages that occur during snow removal operations.
· Please place garbage and recycling bins on the apron of the driveway. These bins are not to be placed on the roadway as they become hazards for plow drivers.
Thank you!
Fall Leaf Collection
Our annual leaf collection program began the week of Monday, October 24, 2022, and runs through the week beginning Monday, November 28, 2022. Leaf collection days are as shown on the Leaf Collection Schedule Map (PDF).
Your leaves will be collected by Waste Management, which will make six trips along each street. Once the vacuum truck makes its final run in your neighborhood, it will not return to collect additional leaves. Waste Management makes every effort to collect leaves along each roadway every week. However, factors such as poor weather or large volumes may slow down the collection process.
If you have any questions, please call the Warren Township Highway Department at 847-244-1101, ext. *301.
Guidelines
Leaves should:
- Be raked to the curb, beginning at the edge of the pavement and be no more than 5 feet in width.
- Not block culverts or storm sewer openings, which could pose a drainage problem in heavy rains or snow.
- Not include other debris such as cans, paper, rocks, logs, brush or construction material as they could damage equipment and cause injury to the crew.
SET CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH AT 2AM
2022 COMMUNITY SURVEY
Grandwood Park Park District was established in 1965 to serve the community of Grandwood Park. Today, the district serves approximately 650 homes in Grandwood Park and 70 in The Shires. Over more than 50 years, the park district has worked to evolve with the neighborhood, offering opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoyment of natural spaces. It is important for the district to understand its residents.
Earlier this year, a survey was mailed to all homes within the park district asking for feedback from residents. The feedback will be used to develop a 5-year masterplan as well as the capital budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Please feel free to contact the park district office located in the community center or visit our website to supply more feedback and to view our 5-year master plan. The feedback we received from the survey is summarized below:
The community continues to grow and change. More than 60% of respondents are working age, most with children. Our residents visit all the 7 parks in the district
YOUR COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES
Direct mail and newsletters are the primary means of communicating with residents. At one time, a paper newsletter was delivered to homes within the park district. Unfortunately, the costs of developing, printing, and delivering a paper document became prohibitive, so we have moved to electronic newsletters.
Grandwood Park Park District has a social media presence on Facebook and Instagram.
YOUR PRIOTIRIES (in order of importance)
1. More security lighting and security cameras.
Security cameras have been installed in Lake Park, and more lighting is planned. Adding security cameras to Hutchins Park and the Pole barn will be installed as part of the overall security plan.
2. Picnic shelter and playground equipment (for children over 5 years)
Adams Park received a refresh in 2021-2022. Areas under consideration for more playground equipment include Unity Park, Tower Park and the Oak Grove adjoining the community center. Due to limited capital available, new equipment will become part of the 5-year plan.
3. Landscaping and shade trees
The park district contracts for annual landscaping services to maintain our existing park spaces. Planting flowers and shrubs to enhance the beauty of our parks has traditionally been part of volunteer efforts. As part of the 5-year plan the park district will include opportunities to add both shade trees and plantings.
In future newsletters, answers/information will address specific requests/questions/statements from the survey.
Thank you again for your input!!!
FALL FEST - A PICTURE PERFECT DAY!
We couldn’t have ordered better weather for our annual Fall Fest Celebration. Roughly 500 people of all ages joined us on Saturday, September 10th to welcome in the fall season and enjoy community comradery.
Throughout the day food items from The Gut Truck, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Tropical Chill Shaved Ice and Ice Cream, and The Brat Shop were available for purchase. We tapped out on beer, with Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest being the favorite.
Free games for the kids with prizes were available along with a Baggo tournament for the older ones. The Park District gave away custom drawstring backpacks and glow sticks throughout the event.
The always popular Scarecrow Creating Contest was a highlight. More than a dozen scarecrows were brought to life by the imagination of the children who created them. The scarecrow created by Sandra Gallegos was awarded first place. Julian Cocom and Faith Wagner earned second and third place accordingly.
Caption for group leaning at barn? This motley crew was last seen waiting for their ride home!
A dozen candidates for political office were on hand in the Candidates Corner. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the candidates and discuss their views.
Music could be heard from start to finish. Special thanks to D3J Entertainment for donating his time for several hours at the beginning of the event. The musical stylings of cover band, The Stingers, took to center stage at 7 PM and played during the evening.
Let’s not forget the FIREWORKS! Brought to us by Mad Bomber Pyrotechnics, oohs and aahs were in abundance as the sky was lit up.
As the evening drew cooler, near the bonfire was the place to be. The flames appeared to tickle the harvest moon and chase the chill from the air.
An event like Fall Fest takes a great deal of work. From planning, scheduling food vendors and entertainment, permits, scheduling volunteers to set up and then take it down and cleanup, dozens of people and organizations around the community helped bring the event to life. We plan on thanking all involved with the various Park District Activities held this year at an Appreciation Event in February.
Thanks to our Sponsors for whom we are extremely grateful! Sambrano Funeral & Cremation, Nothing Bundt Cakes, D3J Entertainment, Gurnee Community Bank, Castro Construction & Design, the Stautz Family, JC Tools, Atkins Accounting, Warren Township Highway Department and Lake County Coyotes Rugby Team. Special thanks to the heart of our event, our amazing volunteers!
Do you have ideas for next year? Are you interested in participating in the planning of this event? Gather some of your friends and neighbors and join the planning committee. A detailed overview of this year’s event with specifics on each aspect will be available shortly. This is the second year the Park District has put on this event. We are looking for more community members to get involved in the planning. Under the oversite of the Park District Board, a group can take over the execution of the entire event or volunteer for a portion of the event. Planning starts early in 2023. Reach out to Leslie Cassidy, Park District Manager at parkdistrict@grandwoodpark.net if you are interested. After all the hard work of planning, it’s heartwarming to look around and see the smiles and hear the laughter of those in attendance!
WSRA Trunk or Treat 2022
Warren Special Recreation Association (WSRA) is supported by the Grandwood Park Park District, Wildwood Park District and Gurnee Park Districts. Sunday October 23rd was their second annual Trunk or Treat. More than 40 stations were set up in the Warren Township parking lot. The extraordinary creativity of each station and the beautiful fall weather made for a wonderful experience for the participants.
Costumed kids and parents alike paraded from station-to-station trick-or-treating and collecting goodies. Grandwood Park Park District did not disappoint. Sonic the Hedgehog handed out more than 300 juice and cookies bundles. For more information about WSRA, you can see their website or contact either Warren Township or Grandwood Park Park District.
