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$1,200,000 For Schaumburg By: James Falk, President Board of Park Commissioners Paul Derdea, Director Parks and Recreation On Saturday, March 7, 1970, the Schaumburg Park District voters approved a $950,000 bond issue by a vote of almost three to one, 948 "yes" to 360 "no." The three to one majority vote showed that the people of Schaumburg were behind their park district. With the tremendous growth witnessed in the Schaumburg community over the past ten years, the need for park and recreation facilities had become very apparent. With more and more industrial and residential building going on in the community, the need to provide open space lands was immediate. The Village of Schaumburg, under the leadership of Mayor Robert Archer, has been outstanding in securing public use parcels from local housing developers. However, it was now necessary for the park district to develop existing open space areas and purchase additional needed park acreage. The Village of Schaumburg is not complete until adequate park and recreation facilities are provided. MASTER PLAN The Long Range Park and Recreation Master Plan, prepared by McFadzean and Everly, Limited of Winnetka, Illinois, pointed out the need for (1) neighborhood park development to serve as many residents as possible; (2) an additional pool to relieve the tremendous overcrowded condition of the existing pool; and (3) a community center to better serve the demanding needs of the recreation program. The Board of Park Commissioners, the Director of Parks and Recreation, and the McFadzean and Everly consultant, after several months of intensive study and planning, developed what was felt to be the best possible first phase park development program to adequately serve the majority of the residents. The first phase development program included (1) two community parks; (2) complete development of four neighborhood parks; (3)
104 Illinois Parks July-August 1970 an outdoor swimming pool complex; and (4) a community center. The complete cost breakdown of the capital improvement program is shown in Table I. IMMEDIATE NEED The Schaumburg Park Commissioners felt that the need to provide updated park and recreation facilities was immediate. Open space land suitable for park development was diminishing rapidly in Schaumburg. Construction costs are increasing at the rate of 1% per month, making the proposed facilities only more expensive at a later date. Extensive commercial and industrial development over the next few years will greatly reduce the tax obligations to the homeowner. Four new park sites are adjacent to schools so that both school and park taxpayers can benefit from joint development and use of land and facilities. COMMUNITY CENTER The community center includes tiny tot and arts and crafts rooms, a multipurpose room, meeting rooms and park offices. The center is designed so that a swimming pool, handball courts, and bathhouse with saunas and showers can be added at a future date. The entire capital improvement project should be 80 to 90 percent completed by the Summer of 1971. Schaumburg Park District taxpayers whose homes have an equalized assessed valuation of $10,000 can expect to pay an additional dollar a month for five years, after which payments will be reduced due to the increased total assessed valuation of the District as the community grows. The Schaumburg Park District's successful referendum reflects a carefully thought out, sound and financially realistic park development program for Schaumburg.
July-August 1970 Illinois Parks 105 |
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