New Tennis Courts, Playground Coming To Northbrook's West Park

NORTHBROOK, IL — Three replacement tennis courts at West Park will receive a $105,000 funding boost as Northbrook Park District works toward completing a broader park renovation in November.

The United States Tennis Association selected the district for the grant through its Tennis Venue Services program. The courts are part of a $1.9 million renovation of the 24-acre park at 1730 Pfingsten Road.

Beyond tennis, the project includes a new playground, picnic shelter, multi-sport court and trail improvements.

The replacement tennis courts will feature blended lines to support youth programming, according to Superintendent of Athletics and Fitness Meri Shea.

"The addition of the blended lines will expand programming opportunities at our courts and provide a welcoming space for young players to develop their skills and enjoy the game," Shea told the district.

Northbrook Racquet Club and Glenbrook Racquet Club, which partner with the district to offer classes, helped gather information for the grant application. Northbrook Racquet Club will also assist with programming at West Park.

Park Planning and Project Manager Nicole Wrobel said securing the grant required an extensive technical review.

"The process begins with a thorough review and vetting of our court engineering and design to ensure the project meets their technical standards before we're even invited to submit a full application," Wrobel told the district.

The district gathered community input on the renovation through surveys and in-person meetings in 2024 and 2025.

The new Kompan playground will include equipment for children ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12, with increased accessibility, ramped play areas and a synthetic turf safety surface.

Other improvements include:

• A new picnic shelter.
• Replacement of one sand volleyball court.
• A multi-sport court featuring hockey and basketball.
• Trail additions along the parking lot to create a continuous two-thirds-mile loop within the park.
• Native planting areas along the trail.
• New benches, garbage and recycling receptacles, and a drinking fountain with a bottle filler and dog bowl.

The renovation also received a $600,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The USTA grant program supports improvements to existing tennis venues and construction of new facilities. Recipients also receive project management assistance, according to the district.