Tax Hike 'Consensus' In La Grange For Parks

LA GRANGE, IL – Trustees for the Park District of La Grange have reached a "verbal consensus" on putting a tax hike measure before voters in November, an official said Monday.

But the park board has taken no vote yet on the issue, Jenny Bechtold, the district's executive director, said in an email to Patch.

The board must vote by its August meeting to get the issue on the November ballot, she said.

One item the board wants to remove from the tax hike plan is synthetic turf fields at Gorden Park. Some residents have urged the board to drop such fields from the plan, citing environmental and health reasons.

The tax increase would cost the owner of a $500,000 house $71 a year, according to the park district.

In recent times, the park board has been seeking the public's feedback, including through a mailed survey, on what improvements they would like to see.

The referendum would ask voters whether the district can go into debt by $13.9 million for 25 years, the district said.

Here are the highlights of the park district's current proposal:

Community Center

• Add multiple sport court
• Connect indoors and outdoors

Denning Park

• Add a six-hole disc golf course
• Add a soccer field on the southwest corner
• Expand half basketball court to full
• Increase pathways

Elm Park

• Fix the basketball court

Gilbert Park

• Expand parking lot
• Update 1990s-era playground
• Update three tennis courts
• Convert the fourth tennis court into a multiple sport court

Gordon Park

• Build a bandshell
• Add dog park
• Add pathways
• Add seating at the splash pad

Rotary Park

• Replace the playground

Sedgwick Park

• Convert two tennis courts into dedicated pickleball courts
• Improve sand volleyball courts

Spring Park

• Expand the pathway to go through the entire park, rather than halfway
• Replace 1970s-era shelter