Key Group Opposes Clarendon Hills Plaza Idea, Says Triangle Important

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – A Clarendon Hills group has announced its opposition to the village's idea to eliminate the downtown traffic triangle.

The group said the Kenneth Sloan Memorial Triangle is part of the village's history and serves an important purpose.

On Jan. 21, eight officers of the Clarendon Hills Historical Society sent a letter (below) to village officials.

Village President Eric Tech and the village's acting manager, Paul Dalen, did not return a message for comment Wednesday.

Officials have said they are considering replacing the triangle with a plaza, which they said would make downtown more inviting.

But critics argued at public meetings that the triangle's removal would reduce safety and cause traffic congestion.

The triangle includes a special lane from Prospect Avenue to Park Avenue.

Over the summer, many residents objected to the plaza idea during Village Board meetings. Others backed it.

In August, the board hit pause on the proposal. It later hired a consultant to prepare a downtown plan. The consultant's work is expected to be unveiled at a meeting next Thursday.

In its letter, the historical society lamented last year's elimination of the triangle at Chicago and Norfolk avenues and the earlier one at Golf and Burlington avenues next to Village Hall.

"The triangles are an integral part of the original Frederick Law Olmsted-inspired landscape architectural design of our village," the group said.

The society called the Lions Club Triangle at Chicago and Norfolk "beautiful and welcoming."

"It should have been left there as it would have continued to be an attractive feature welcoming people to our town from Chicago Avenue and, with its west lane removed, would have allowed the space between the east- and west-bound stop signs to be much closer and safer," the society said. "Now it’s much too long and very confusing and dangerous."

The one at Golf and Burlington was attractive and flowed well, replaced by a sharp right turn, with drivers often ignoring the stop signs, the society said.

The letter said the village has plenty of sitting areas in downtown, including the plazas at Village Hall and in front of the Open Door Taproom & Bottle Shop on Prospect Avenue. The village could focus on improving those, the group said.

The group noted Prospect is the village's main through street to its only train crossing. It is crucial to the flow of traffic and the prevention of backups over the railroad crossing, according to the letter.

When Starbucks was open, downtown saw more traffic, but the traffic will come back with the expected opening of Sparrow Coffee, the group said.

"People need easy access into our downtown," the society said. "We lost that when Coe and Middaugh were permanently made right-in, right-out only and can’t afford to make that same mistake again."

The historic society said the village has seen big turnouts at meetings since the village introduced the plaza idea in fall 2023, which speaks volumes.

"The Chamber (of Commerce) took 'Christmas' out of our Christmas Walk. We hope the Village Board doesn't take our Triangle out of our downtown," the society said. "Please listen to those residents who care and love Clarendon Hills and have shown up and spoken strongly, articulately and from their hearts. The majority of those residents have said they don't want to lose the triangle or the west slip lane."

Last summer, Clarendon Hills resident Angela Sartori launched a Change.org petition urging residents to stop the plaza plan. More than a thousand people have signed it.