Nuts & Bolts: June 2023

Nuts & Bolts: June 2023 

There’s a full schedule of essential work completed each day across our Wilmette Park District parks and facilities. Between maintenance, seasonal upkeep and general improvements, you may not catch all the exciting things – big and small – that our crews are responsible for. Nuts & Bolts is here to help you brush up on the behind-the-scenes activity around the District.

Work is moving right along with the Wilmette Platform Tennis Expansion Project! The Village of Wilmette approved our building permit on May 26, and starting June 1, outside work began. This included gravel and grading related to asphalt and concrete work. A solid base is the first step for an even and sturdy paddle play surface. Interior work in the Paddle Hut was slated to begin June 5 – we look forward to an update on how it’s going in July’s Nuts & Bolts!

The Lakeview Center is looking snazzy! The new layout offers excellent natural light and a welcoming flow through the space with staff offices in the lower level nearest the beach, where visitors can meet and greet with ease. Crews spent May performing exterior and interior work including painting and installation of fixtures and doors.

As of the start of June, crews were awaiting the delivery of glass and railings. Final inspection with the FSCI and Wilmette Fire Department on the fire alarm and sprinkler system were to take place on June 12.

The pickleball community was excited to hear that we added 6 dual tennis/pickleball courts to the mix. Lines were added to the existing outdoor tennis courts at Hibbard Park, making 6 pickleball courts on the site. Rolling nets are available for use as well.

We were so excited to break them in, our Drop-In-Pickleball (DIP) games were relocated to Hibbard for the summer. View the schedule and details here.

The latest member to join our fleet is a tow-behind seeder. Spreading only the finest of seeds, this little number will be helping our greenspaces grow even greener, while saving time and streamlining the process for parks crews.

While the seasons changed, so did Field Permits. Spring soccer leagues and Wilmette Baseball Academy (WBA) wound down their seasons in early June to make way for summer WBA practice at Hibbard Park, Howard Park, West Park and Community Playfields. Summer Jr. Trevian Lacrosse will also be occupying a field at Community Playfields late June through early August.

Parks Staff Updates:

There’s never a slow month for the Park Crew, and May was no exception. Between installing a split-rail fence around Lakeview Center and new volleyball nets at Gillson, crews planted a total of 53 trees at several parks around the district!

Community Playfields received turf work, and park crews completed mowing (did you spy the new EV mower?) tree work and ballfield maintenance. A little color was added to the Community Recreation Center with fresh flower plantings around the exterior.

Parks staff assisted with two events last month: crews helped Go Green Wilmette with their 9^th annual Native Plant Sale on May 13. We hope you all were able to stop by Gillson Parking Lot and pick up a lovely little shrub to add to your home garden. Parks crews also lined up several unique fleet vehicles for the kids to explore at our Touch a Truck event at Centennial Parking Lot on May 20.

Building Staff Updates:

Wallace Bowl received some patchwork and repairs – when next you attend a Sounds of Summer concert at the Bowl, you may be resting on a section of nice new wood seating courtesy of the building crew! And that’s not all – a drinking fountain was newly installed at the Beach House, the beach deck was cleaned and treated, and a new hut was built and installed at the north gate entrance to the park. Go ahead and admire our staff’s handiwork the next time the attendant waves you on through.

Centennial Aquatic Center needed an emergency repair to the water lines going in and out of the surge pit, and our building crew was there to save the day! The competition filter pump was repaired, and the activity and wading pools were painted and filled.

Rounding out the month, the building crew repaired the walking bridges at the Wilmette Golf Club, and put up the large tent for The Lawn restaurant to use over the summer months.