Village of Homer Glen Parks & Recreation Committee met Aug. 21.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
1. Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m. by Chair Rose Reynders.
2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
3. Roll Call. - Present at 4:02 p.m. were Chair Trustee Reynders, Members Dan Kenney,
Bob Kman, Amy Blank, Matt Hosteny,
Also Present: Committee Secretary Alana Charboneau, Village Engineer Brett Westcott
Members Absent: Members Marcie Gorak, Russell Knaack, Dale Janssen., Nicole LaHa
4. Approval of Amendments to the Agenda.
5. Approval of Minutes- Chair Rose Reynders motioned for approval of July 17 minutes.
Dan Kenney commented, he was not present at the last meeting.
All in favor, zero (0) opposed. The motion passed unanimously.
6. Public Comment.
7. Reports from Chair- Trustee Reynders discussed what happened at the July 26 Board
Meeting about the Veterans Memorial. Village of Homer Glen Trustees Mason and McNaughton wanted more information. Reynders set up a workshop. Presentation and suggestions for memorial would be presented by Lou Zempke and Mike McCullough from The American Legion Post 2011. Reynders mentioned the parking expansion and all of the previous motions were approved. August 9 they discussed relocating trees, then replanting them in other areas of the park. Member Amy Blank asked how can the park move forward, if the trees aren't moved? Reynders stated, the Trustees were asking more about where the trees would be moved, if they would be saved, and costs. Village Engineer Brett Westcott said the process is in two parts: The contract to relocate the trees and then to approve the low bidder.
Splash Pad- better location was in the Sendra Park, some board members were worried about it. Member Kenny asked if it could be put somewhere with existing plumbing, but Reynders stated there is soccer and the Veterans Memorial. Reynders stated it would be difficult and crowded. This way everything will be utilized. Reynders stated to look at a feasibility study and costs. It will be Illinois American Water, unless they can do the recirculating package, needing to looking into more details on that. Member Blank brought Kenney up to speed that she and others suggested they should put the splash pad in a different location. Blank mentioned there are some members that were unhappy about the idea of the splash pad being there. Reynders stated she went over there and she could understand the concern. Going more towards looking into Heritage Park. Blank mentioned where the splash pad was supposed to go, is where the veteran's memorial will now be going. There may be some space to fit it, but Blank asked if a splash pad and a veteran's memorial were compatible or not. There were suggestions of more of a "water feature", instead of a splash pad. Features both the Veterans Memorial and Splash Pad. Member Kenny suggested it to be a beautiful memorial to look at, simple, but interactive. Member Reynders showed a previous design. A "Veteran's Memorial Splash Pad”. Reynders asked if there would be issues with soccer being nearby. Blank stated the percentage soccer is in the park should not affect the memorial. "Interactive Fountain, Interactive Water Feature". Member Kman asked about the parking by the baseball fields. Member Blank stated Trustee Steilen did not want the parking there because it was taking away land.
Lou Zempke and Mike McCullough workshop pertaining to the Veterans Memorial - Workshop: Lou Zempke and Mike McCullough gave a presentation to the committee with ideas and suggestions towards the Veteran's Memorial. They received a lot of feedback from Veterans with what they would and would not like to see. Mike showed previous designs of the Veterans Memorial from Tria. They liked the following:
Representation of the flags, but wary of the location.
-The terms were very important and suggested with future ideas, (21 of them).
- They like the design to fit in with the rest of the architecture of the park.
Mike also went over previous costs and landscaping. Mike mentioned they like the plans for an amphitheater.
Mike then proceeded to go over the Villages plan for the Veterans Memorial. He stated:
- They thought there were too many statues and landscaping nor did they like the brick pavers.
- They liked the flagpoles, but Mike suggested using bronze or black colored flag poles (25-foot poles).
- They liked the service seals with slogans. Mike suggested adding the name and birth date of their service.
- They did not want anyone walking over the names of people of honor.
- They like the statue for Michael O.
Mike showed the committee examples of a very large, detailed Veteran's Memorial in Albia, lowa. Some ideas were to have a wall of names. Another idea was a statue of a buglers that played the National Anthem and Taps. Mike showed two sketches he had. One with the Veterans Memorial, two walkways, and two pavilions; for families. He stated in order for people to remember it, they need to see it. Mike suggested having a directory of everybody's name with information about them, maybe on a website for people to visit.
Legislative and Action Items: Parking and Removal of Trees- Westcott showed previous Tria plans and overlaid the proposed parking lots with the landscaping and stormwater plans. Westcott mentioned more space, the soccer fields being more to scale in his drawings with an area around it, available, and where parking expansions will be. He ensured the construction should not intervene with parking. Cul-de-sac road landscaping will be wetland and prairie, also working on getting better plants established as well. The rest will be further established. The limitations of the 319 Grant is a 1:1. Westcott showed the space where HomerFest would be and how the parking would be placed into account to all situations and events that occur in Heritage Park. Westcott stated Jennifer Vittori mentioned importance with replacing dead or dying trees, the rest, where to relocate them. Reynders mentioned taking into consideration the walking paths that will be placed within Heritage Park behind the Village. Member Kenney mentioned the space we now know is available around the soccer fields. Member Blank suggested planting it around things that are already established. Reynders stated there are a lot of dead trees. Westcott stated relocation of twenty trees. Blank asked if it was possible to relocate the trees still nearby the soccer fields. It was discussed it is possible, and easier to relocate trees near the soccer fields and within the Active Core. There was discussion for getting sails for the Active Core as well to provide more shade.
8. Old Business
9. New Business- Most was discussed in previous deliberations.
Heritage Park - Member Blank asked about the veteran's memorial and splash pad. Reynders stated it would be a good idea to incorporate the two ideas, and that if the Veterans did not like the idea of people stepping on the bricks, they could come up with an idea of granite walls with names. Member Kenney gave a few suggestions and ideas of different memorials: New Lenox has something similar. All of the paths would connect to one another, within the whole plans of the park. Reynders agreed and mentioned the pavilion being too close to the parking lot. She suggested needing to looking and different design ideas of placement.
The group went outside briefly to look at the area behind the Community Room. Member Kman suggested following future pathways to see where they would be best placed. Reynders mentioned ADA compliance, but liked the idea. Kenney suggested incorporating the Veterans Memorial into the budget. Reynders stated there is $347,000 already budgeted.
10. Reports and Communications from Staff.
11. Committee Member Updates
12. Adjournment.
http://www.homerglenil.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08212023-2596
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