Gillson Infrastructure Improvement Project
START DATE
Fall 2024
PROJECTED END DATE
Spring 2025
LOCATION
Gillson Park, Wilmette
About the Project
Gillson Infrastructure Improvement Project Update
Updated 5.14.25
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Gillson Park roadways will be closed Monday, May 12 through Wednesday, May 14.
During this time:
- All vehicles must park in the main beach parking lot, accessible from Lake Avenue.
- Pedestrian access to sidewalks and the beach will remain open, but please use caution — hot asphalt will be laid throughout the park roadways.
- Gillson Dog Beach remains open.
- Lakeview Center remains open.
Thank you for your patience as we improve park infrastructure.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: PHASE 3 (the final phase!) has begun, the following park access changes will occur.
- NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN – vehicular traffic for Overlook Drive must enter from the corner of Michigan & Washington Ave. and will exit the park through the beach house parking lot.
- No exit via Sheridan Rd.
- Parking is available on Upper Drive and Overlook Drive during Phase 3 construction.
- Gillson Beach Parking Lot is open to the public during construction.
- Temporary fencing is being added for public safety.
- Temporary path access to the tennis courts and dog beach are marked in green on the map.
- Facilities including Gillson Beach, Lakeview Center, Playground, Tennis Courts, and Dog Park will remain open to the public.
- Please be advised that ongoing construction may result in uneven ground and other potential hazards within the park. For your safety, we kindly ask all visitors to exercise caution while walking in the park, paying close attention to your surroundings.
Background
Gillson Park, recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places, suffers from deteriorating roadways and issues with drainage throughout the park. In addition, the park’s Harbor Drive presents a safety hazard due to the lack of an integrated path for pedestrians and cyclists.
In December 2020, the Wilmette Park District engaged consultants from the Lakota Group and Woodhouse Tinucci Architects to evaluate Gillson and propose ideas for enhancing the overall visitor experience, and to engage the public in the process.
Over three years, the public planning process unfolded including presentations, open houses, feedback sessions and resident surveys. Various park update concepts were presented and assessed. Throughout this process, the Wilmette community expressed a strong preference for minimal changes to the park. Consequently, the Park District Board and staff decided to focus exclusively on addressing Gillson’s most urgent structural and safety issues.
Project Overview
In August 2022, a Gillson roadway survey indicated that our community preferred to keep the current road configuration in the park, but convert Middle Drive to a path for non-vehicular traffic (future plan). With this input, the District began work with engineers from Gewalt Hamilton Associates to develop an infrastructure project scope and plan.
Planning activities continued throughout 2023. Following a six-month permitting process, the Board of Park Commissioners approved bids for construction and construction management on June 10 of this year. The project began preliminary work in September and is scheduled for completion in May, 2025. The specific components of the project are:
- Resurfacing all roadways
- Replacing underground sewers
- Adding a bike-only lane and a sidewalk
- Reconfiguring portions of Harbor Drive to accommodate the new lanes and the Yacht Club while maintaining its iconic curves
- Adding twenty-four-inch retaining walls to shore up the berms and mitigate erosion in two (2) locations
- Removing two (2) Norway Maple trees (an invasive tree species)
For more information about this project, read our FAQ document here
Planning Goal and Outcomes
The overall goal of the Gillson Infrastructure Improvement Project is to preserve Gillson for future generations by providing safe roads and pathways for visitors, and efficient drainage systems.
Documents and Presentations
- 10/18/2024 Site Improvement Project Phasing Maps UPDATED
- 11/2021 Gillson Public Engagement Event Report
- 9/12/2022 Gillson Roadway Survey Results
- 5/22/2023 Gillson Site Improvement Project Presentation by Gewalt Hamilton
- 8/28/2023 Gillson Site Improvement Project Update Presentation_Gewalt Hamilton
- 6/10/2024 Gillson Site Improvement Project Construction and Management Bid Documents- Approved 6/10/24
- 7/11/2024 Frequently Asked Questions About the Gillson Infrastructure Improvement Project
Project Timeline
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