New forest preserve opens in Tinley Park
The Forest Preserves of Cook County has opened its newest site at 6101 Oak Forest Ave. in Tinley Park.
The addition of 29 acres formerly known as Villa Santa Maria creates a nearly 300-acre property that offers visitors the chance to park onsite to enjoy a picnic or connect with nature.
“In addition to showcasing the history of the Tinley Park area, this property is another example of how we can reconsider open space for public use,” said Eileen Figel, interim general superintendent.
The preserve offers a half-mile loop grass walking path amid a canopy of mature white oaks and hickories and an open grass area perfect for flying a kite. With the installation of uncovered picnic tables, the preserve is available to book with a permit for small gatherings of up to 50 people.
Made up of woodland, grassland, wetland and a tributary stream that feeds into the Midlothian Creek, 6101 Oak Forest Avenue provides important habitats for woodland birds such as blue jays and red-bellied woodpeckers and cavity dwelling species such as wood ducks, nuthatches, chickadees, flying squirrels and tree frogs. The former agricultural fields contain mostly non-native grasses, but there is potential for future restoration to a prairie-like plant community.
Villa Santa Maria was owned by the Mantellate Sisters, a community of Catholic nuns, who bought it in 1955 for the novitiate, a period of training and preparation before taking vows. The Sisters also built a preschool and kindergarten on the land before moving out and selling the property in 2018 to the Forest Preserves, which acquired the 29.3 acres using Land and Water Conservation funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
The Forest Preserves demolished the buildings after documenting the history in a report to the state. Prior to the nunnery, the land was a part of Cooper’s Grove, a prominent landmark in the county named after an early European settler, and the area was inhabited by Indigenous people for about 10,000 years before colonization. Archaeological discoveries on Forest Preserves land in southern Cook County include decorated ceramic pottery, bone and shell tools and ornaments and below ground storage pits, hearths and house floors.
Adding the Villa Santa Maria property to the Forest Preserves not only provided a parking lot and space for picnics, essentially creating a visitor-accessible preserve at 6101 Oak Forest Avenue. It grew the contiguous natural area to the south that was already owned by the Forest Preserves. Larger protected natural areas limit the “edge effect”—the phenomenon in which many plants and animals cannot or will not use a natural area because it is too close to a road, human development, human-generated noise or a change in the natural community. Adding natural land abutting existing preserves is a primary goal for land acquisition by the Forest Preserves.
This new preserve also gives the Forest Preserves an opportunity to extend its Tinley Park Trail system, which extends to Central Avenue, just across the street from 6101 Oak Forest Avenue. The Vollmer Road Grove Loop trail is three miles to the southeast, which could be looked at as a future connection. A feasibility study for the possible extension of the Tinley Creek Trail to the south of I-80 would be needed and would not begin until 2025 at the earliest.
Refurbished park reopens in Hickory Hills
The newly renovated Doug Osborne Park, 84th Court and Coey Lane in Hickory Hills, officially reopened last week with a ribbon cutting after a $400,000 improvement project funded by a state Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant.
Officials called the park, which is near 95th Street, “an essential neighborhood park designed for accessibility and inclusivity in mind.” It includes an ADA compliant playground, swings, benches, a bike rack, shelter, game tables, a rocking horse, painted games such as hopscotch, and an outdoor fitness area with multiple exercise stations.
The park also has a rain garden with pollinator plants and the district’s only bat box.
NAMI South Suburbs gets funding boost
NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago, which provides resources to people and families experiencing mental health issues, received an $18,500 grant from Northwestern Medicine through a competitive grant.
Totaling $4.6 million, Northwestern grants were awarded to 152 organizations that offer a wide range of services including housing, nutritional needs, transportation, childcare, and more access to mental health and primary care. At an event where the grants were awarded, organization leaders, including those from NAMI South Suburbs, gathered to brainstorm with other groups to find ways to better support the needs in their communities.
Area marching bands to compete in Romeoville
Marching bands from several area high schools, including Stagg in Palos Hills, Sandburg in Orland Park and Eisenhower in Blue Island, will compete Sept. 21 in the 7th annual Romeoville High School Spartan Classic at Spartan Stadium, 100 N. Independence Blvd.
The stadium opens at noon with the first band set to perform at 1 p.m. The show is open to the community.
The bands will compete in three different classes based on their size. Each of the schools have been practicing their field show for months to perfect their music, marching and choreography. The bands will be judged using Bands of America scoring. Awards will be given to first, second and third place finishers in each class. A Grand Champion will also be awarded based on the highest overall total regardless of class size.
Entrance to the Spartan Classic is $15 for adults; $10 for students and seniors and $40 for a group of two adults and two students or seniors. Children 5 and younger are free. Proceeds support the Romeoville High School Marching Band program. Information is at www.romeovillehsband.org
Will County to host emergency webinars
The Will County Emergency Management Agency will host a series of free, 30-minute “Lunch and Learn” webinars as part of National Preparedness Month.
Each will take place from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays in September and will provide practical information to keep residents safe, a news release said.
On Sept. 11, pet owners can learn how to prepare their animals for an emergency, including natural disasters.
Nuclear safety is the featured topic Sept. 18. With two nuclear power plants in Will County or on its border, residents can learn about how the plants operate and how to receive emergency alerts, officials said.
The program wraps up Sept. 25 with a session focusing on financial preparedness should you experience an unexpected expense or a catastrophic weather event.
Register at www.willcountyema.org/learn.
Fall Festival returns Sept. 21 in Homewood
A Chili Cook-off, rock climbing, kids crafts and live music highlights Fall Fest, returning from noon to 9 p.m. Sept. 21 to Martin Avenue in downtown Homewood.
Admission and parking are free, and the event is easily accessible via Metra Electric District trains.
Food and drinks will be available from Homewood restaurants and food trucks, and local artisan vendors will be selling crafts and unique items.
The main stage will feature musical performances from live karaoke DJ Nate Olson, R&B doo-wop band The Spaniels Forever and family friendly 80s/90s/00s Pop Rock band 28 Days. Over 20 chefs are signed up to compete in Homewood Chili Cook-Off, and samples of their entries will be available for tasting.
More information is at www.homesweethomewood.com.
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