'Worn' Elmhurst Mini Golf Course To Be Improved

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst Park District is planning improvements to the mini golf course at the Berens Park Hub. According to the district, the mini golf course greens have reached the end of their useful life, as they have become "worn" and are no longer aesthetically pleasing.

"Currently, the mini golf pond is an unattractive, nonfunctional feature garnering many negative comments throughout the past year regarding the mini golf course," a park district memo said.

A number of failed attempts have been made to repair the pond to make it functional, the memo said, but it needs new rock bedding and a specifically made liner as originally designed.

The improvements will improve the course's playability, according to the memo.

One sealed bid was received late last month, coming in at $178,631, which was nearly triple the budget of $60,000. Because of that situation, the district sought feedback from contractors who did not submit bids.

"It was discovered that contractors were concerned about the aggressive timeline, Chicago's unpredictable spring weather and the scope of the work," the memo said. "Another contributing factor to the high bid received could be the unknown conditions beneath the greens and management of multiple subcontractors."

The park district staff is recommending the park board reject the lone sealed bid. The staff said it would consider bidding the pond separately from the mini golf greens and go with a late fall timeline.

According to the memo, the district plans to open the mini golf course this season, which starts in May. Staff will power wash and make minor repairs to the turf to ensure the course is ready, the district said.