The Annual Asphalt Project has been completed, thank you for your patience!
Are any trees going to be removed?
Some trees may be removed as part of this project, to expand the playground footprint.
Some trees may be removed as part of this project, to expand the playground footprint.
Yes, the project will include the addition of two native planting areas.
Yes, the updated playground will include a new fence.
The plan proposes to use poured-in-place rubber safety surface, often referred to as the soft surface.
The entire path will be repaved.
Two sidewalk connections will be added to the path on the West side of the park (connection to sidewalk along Green Bay Road)
The existing path will be reoriented near the playground to accommodate the new playground footprint.
The construction is targeted to begin in July 2025. The project schedule is subject to change. Any changes to the schedule will be posted on the website.
No, the restroom building will not be renovated as part of this project.
The only change to the restroom building will be the addition of a wall-mounted drinking fountain on the South side of the building.
Don’t see your question? Contact us at [email protected].
Complete this form if you would like to receive project updates or if you have any questions.
Complete this form if you would like to receive project updates or if you have any questions.
No trees are expected to be removed as part of the project. Some plantings will be removed to accommodate the new accessible entry path
Yes. The project will include a landscape plan for the area surrounding the tot-lot.
No, the drinking fountain’s location will not change, but the drinking fountain will be replaced.
No, the playground will remain in its current location on the South lot.
Following the Playground Feasibility Study last spring it was determined through the community engagement process that there was more support for the playground to remain within its current footprint.
While there was interest in moving and expanding the playground, the community valued preserving the open space, the scale of the tot lot, the secluded woodland feel of the tot lot and expressed concern for traffic and parking if the playground were to move and grow.
This project focuses on the tot lot, though the Park District is accepting comments for what the community would like to see on the North lot.
The plan proposes to use pour-in-place rubber safety surface, often referred to as the soft surface.
Construction is expected to begin early Spring 2024 through the end of Spring 2024, though the schedule is weather dependent.
Yes, the existing fence will be replaced with a new fence.
Yes, in efforts to create a safer and less steep entry to the playground, the path will extend back further behind the playground which will move the entrance and create a gradually sloped pathway.
No, the playground will remain a tot-lot, for the 2-5 age group.
Through the listening sessions, we heard support for adding pieces that would be enjoyed by older kids. We also heard the need for a greater variety of play equipment, with pieces that are more challenging to stimulate the older tots.
The Park District is required to follow ASTM CPSI requirements regarding age-appropriate equipment. The proposed playground includes climbing opportunities and an expression swing that may engage older children.
The Annual Asphalt Project has been completed, thank you for your patience!
The cart paths on holes 2-5, 8 and 9 are going to be repaved this year. So far, the path along holes 2, 8, 9 and part of 5 have been grinded down and are expected to be paved this week.
This week, crews will begin grinding the path along holes 3, 4, and the rest of 5.
Heller Nature Center’s parking lot has been repaved and is ready for striping. As a result, the parking lot is currently closed off where the new pavement begins, and we ask that you please not park in the lot until the striping has been completed and has finished curing.
The parking lot is expected to be open late Wednesday or in the morning on Thursday. In the meantime, visitors can park on the entry road that leads up to the parking lot.
According to the USDA Forest Service, management solutions are urgently needed to cope with the large number of oak trees that are declining in our northern forests. Trees affected by root diseases like Phytophthora and Armillaria can lose capacity to absorb water and nutrients. This further weakens the trees and favors secondary issues such as infestation by two-lined chestnut borer. This spring, District staff observed secondary infections of Hypoxylon cankers in red oaks.
The Park District has been working to address oak decline since 2019 when it began a series of annual preventative treatments in our trees at Sunset Woods Park.
Beginning in August of 2022, the District has participated in a Morton Arboretum study to treat and track the health of declining oaks. Arboretum staff visited Sunset Woods and Heller Nature Center to test for Phytophthora, a soil-borne root rot disease. Species of Phytophthora produce spores that can survive for years in moist soil and can travel through water to infect a living host. A total of eight trees (four white oaks at Sunset Woods and four red oaks at Heller Nature Center) are part of the ongoing study.
Fortunately, many of the trees in Sunset Woods are Swamp White Oaks that are tolerant of wet conditions. Also, the District has been proactive about planting new trees. For example, since 2015, Arbor Day volunteers have been planting 20 trees a year in the park. No mow areas around the park also help protect vulnerable trees from damage. For more information, contact Liz Ricketts, Natural Areas Manager, [email protected].
On August 8-9, 2024, 56 trees will be treated for Two-lined Chestnut Borer and 170 trees will receive a fungicide treatment in response to significant rainfall this growing season.
45 trees will be treated for Two-lined Chestnut Borer and 7 trees will receive growth regulator application.
Park District crews added a layer of protective mulch around select trees in Sunset Woods Park, as a follow-up to the air spading project that addressed soil compaction. Properly applied, the mulch layer helps regulate soil temperature and moisture to promote root health.
Select oak trees adjacent to the Sunset Woods playgrounds will receive an extra level of attention to promote healthy root growth and long-term health. Arborists will use a process called air spading to loosen the soil around the roots of the trees.
Compaction of the soil is a primary cause of tree decline. Compaction occurs when soil is compressed by heavy or regular traffic (even constant foot traffic) causing the all-important pores between soil particles to close. These pore spaces hold air, water and nutrients which are essential to tree health.
Complete this form if you would like to receive project updates or if you have any questions.
Complete this form if you would like to receive project updates or if you have any questions.
Exciting habitat improvements are happening in the eastern portion of Sunset Woods Park where the Firehouse Activity Center once stood. The woodland area, which surrounds the bridge that connects the park to the east side of town, will be part of an ecological restoration project by Park District contractor, Davey Resource Group. Work involves the removal of woody and herbaceous invasive species, followed by planting and seeding of native plant species. In addition to the woodland restoration, an upland meadow will be created by the installation of native seeds. Dead standing trees, away from walking paths, will remain in the woodland as they provide excellent habitat for a variety of bird species. Work will begin in January 2022 and end in December 2022.
Initial restoration of the Sunset Wood project area is complete. Native grasses and flowers are blooming in the meadow, wetlands and woodlands. District staff and contractors will continue to maintain the area in the years to come to establish native plants and control invasive weeds.
More than 1,800 native plants were installed along the stream in the Sunset Woods project area. Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Geranium, and Columbine wildflowers were included along with Oak Sedge and Little Blue Stem grass.
Seeding took place the week of March 14 in the woodland and meadow areas of the project. Crews tilled the area and then hand-spread seeds. The woodland area was raked and seeded. Erosion control blankets are in place to protect the seeds. Grass trail edges will be mown to provide additional walking room.