Elmhurst Park District officials have begun surveying a sampling of registered voters to gauge interest in a possible referendum question to go on the November ballot asking voters to vote on a proposed $90 million bond issue to replace the aging Joanne B. Wagner Community Center and add amenities to several other district parks.
The Park District board unanimously approved a survey of a random sample of registered voters by consultant aQity Research at the board’s April 22 meeting. The initiative stems from feedback received during the development of the Elevate Elmhurst Parks strategic and comprehensive planning process in 2023.
At an informational open house on April 29, Executive Director James Rogers told Pioneer Press the survey process was beginning, with mailed and emailed surveys going out to about 1,000 registered voters considered likely to vote in November.
To put a referendum question on the November 5 ballot, Park District board members must make a decision no later than August 19, officials said.
The survey is aimed at assessing interest in a potential referendum asking voters to consider a bond issue of just under $90 million. The bulk of that – $85 million – would pay for a new Wagner Community Center, proposed to replace the existing 32,000-square-foot building with one about four times larger at 127,000 square feet. The new center would offer expanded programming and facility space, including the possibility of a free indoor walking track and gymnasiums for pickleball, basketball, and volleyball.
The other proposed projects are a band shell for Wilder Park at $2.5 million; heated year-round restrooms at Crestview, Eldridge, and Prairie Path parks at $500,000 per park; and $1 million for an artificial turf field to replace an existing grass field at Berens Park.
Whether surveyed or not, community members can comment on the plan with a “Questions? Contact us” button on the Park District website – Elevate Elmhurst Parks | Elmhurst Park District (epd.org) and by public comment at Park District board meetings on June 10 and 24, July 8 and 22, and August 12.
If voters were to approve the referendum question, the projects would be paid for with a general obligation bond issue with a maximum 25-year maturity that would add $260 a year to the tax bill for a home with a market value of $400,000. The owner of a home with a market value of $1 million would pay an additional $650 per year in Park District taxes.
According to the Park District website, the last Park District referendum was in 1972. In late 2019, Park District board members dropped a $105 million plan for an indoor sports facility and other parks projects after survey results showed weak community support.
Full details on Elevate Elmhurst Parks projects, projected costs, and tax impacts are at:
Financials and Tax Impact | Elmhurst Park District (epd.org)
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.