Park District Nixes Plan to Transfer West Ridge Park

A memorandum of understanding regarding the potential transfer of West Ridge Park to North Shore School District 112 was terminated by the Park District of Highland Park on Friday.

According to a Park District news release, the termination came “as a result of the Park District’s serious concerns, both substantive and procedural, with NSSD’s plans for West Ridge.”

“Our negotiations with the School District to address these concerns have been unfruitful and have reached an impasse,” said Scott Meyers, President of the Board of Commissioners for the Park District of Highland Park. “Accordingly, we are terminating the MOU and discontinuing negotiations.”

The news release also indicated that school officials have informed those from the Park District that they do “not actually need” West Ridge Park for the proposed middle school campus that would come with a reconfiguration plan and that the project at the current site of Red Oak and Sherwood schools would go on with or without the acquisition of West Ridge Park.

“Whether the School District’s plan ultimately succeeds or fails will be decided by the voters,” Meyers said.

The board president also expressed concern regarding District 112’s refusal to renew a longstanding Intergovernmental Agreement between the parties unless the Park District agreed to transfer the West Ridge property to the School District.

“NSSD 112 has indicated that if the Park District does not transfer West Ridge, the School District may prevent the 1500+ children who participate in these programs from accessing School District property, We certainly hope that the School District does not follow through with this unfortunate course of action.”