The Show Must Go On
How the Wheaton Park District bounced back from a rocky start to a grand re-opening
By Kristina Nemetz and Rob Sperl
Photos: Kmiecik Imagery
As park and recreation professionals, we know capital construction rarely goes as planned; there are often delays and change orders that are out of our hands. The Wheaton Park District in Illinois finally met its ultimate challenge with the Memorial Park renovation project, originally set to open in June 2020.
Leading up to the groundbreaking in August 2019, district officials spent three years coordinating focus groups, working with park users, neighbors, and other stakeholders to create a conceptual plan. Late-night meetings with neighbors and early-morning redraw with the engineers became the norm as the project was set to renovate the park district’s oldest park situated between the downtown business district and a dense residential area to the north. “It was easily the project in my career that was equally met with both the most support and most pushback,” says Michael Benard, Wheaton Park District Executive Director. “Our board and staff worked hard to push this project through as the almost 100-year-old park was in dire need of renovation—especially the outdated bandshell and the namesake memorials that had been established over time.”
In the final plan, the park features increased stormwater management by strategically designing park slopes to channel water to an underground vault. Native trees and plantings were added in a design that worked around the park’s oldest trees to maintain the integrity of the shaded area. The biggest improvement is the new bandshell which features a concession stand, storage for the municipal band, dressing rooms, indoor public restrooms, and an enhanced sound system focused on limiting noise pollution in the neighborhood. Additionally, the design increases multi-use space within the park for community gatherings and rentals, as well as creating an enhanced veterans memorial that gathers many of the commemorative plaques in an area centered on a history wall that surrounds a WWI doughboy statue. All of this was completed within the $5-million budget, thanks in part to some value engineering of the original design.
An Empty Shell
Unfortunately, rather than opening in June 2020, the bandshell has been empty since it was completed. Due to the pandemic, some portions of the project were delayed intentionally to save district funds. With the Restore Illinois Phased Reopening Plan in place for the remainder of 2020, the district’s staff members pivoted quickly to cancel events, rebook entertainment to future dates, and mitigate any expenses previously incurred for the canceled season. Additionally, with social changes during the pandemic, the park became a place of frequent traffic, and with that, some vandalism. An initial peaceful protest for high-school sports damaged the railing of the outdoor terrace, the new pavement was streaked with skid marks from scooters and skateboard wheels, grout from the stage was removed, and litter was evident with beverage stains on the sound wall, damaged sidewalks, and more. Most of the vandalism was done by school-aged children. Staff installed signage and worked with the city police department for additional surveillance in the area. No charges were pressed as the district felt the damage done was likely attributable to another effect of the ongoing pandemic—limited recreational opportunities for younger residents.
By fall, staff members were eager to provide the community with something they could enjoy despite ongoing restrictions. The team paired with Wheaton resident Rudy Keller to create a Field of Honor in the park and around the veterans memorial to celebrate Veterans Day from November 8-11. Sixty flags were raised and lowered each day to honor the various branches of the military. An Arlington-style wreath was donated and placed near the memorial for the four-day display. Before the flags were lowered each evening, two high-school students sang “God Bless America” and played “Taps” on a trumpet. The stirring presentation was shared by staff members on social media, and residents were encouraged to drive past safely in their cars. The event was met with great enthusiasm from the community. It was a spark of hope for what lies ahead for the park.
Singing Again
Despite the state taking a step back in mid-November, and many facilities and programming closing through January, the district pressed on with planning for the 2021 season. Monthly Zoom meetings with upper-level staff members dealt with the ongoing mitigations and reinvigorated planning. Staff also updated rental fees for the park and worked with community partners on use agreements for the new space. This included an agreement with the local school district to use the bandshell for musical and show choir performances, which, based on restrictions, cannot be done safely indoors at the high schools.
The Memorial Park Ribbon-Cutting Event was held on June 4, 2021—exactly one year after the initial project was scheduled to reopen for the annual Taste of Wheaton Fest. While current health mitigations do not allow for the Taste to take place in 2021, the park district will be offering an adapted version of its event calendar. The district has 11 concerts planned throughout the summer, featuring a variety of music from string quintets to nationally acclaimed cover bands. Additionally, past favorite community events such as Wheaton Brew Fest, Shakespeare in the Park, and Wheaton Municipal Band concerts are set to return in adapted formats. “Things will look different. We have had to cut entertainment budgets and will have to decrease park capacity to meet state guidelines, but we are going to provide safe, outdoor recreation and cultural arts opportunities to this community this summer,” says Benard. “It is what our community needs most right now.”
So, the show must go on! The district has adapted its format to limit concession offerings to meet Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity guidelines, in addition to other restrictions regarding masks, ticket sales, on-site signage, gathering limitations, and other changes to protect the safety of the attendees, staff members, and volunteers.
We all have our own narratives about projects that were significantly impacted or interrupted by the pandemic, but what we learned from those demonstrated our resilience to our communities. One thing is for sure: This past year has taught us that the field of parks and recreation is essential for a variety of reasons.
For more information on Memorial Park, visit memorialparkwheaton.com.
Kristina Nemetz, CPRE, is the Superintendent of Marketing & Special Events for Wheaton Park District in Illinois. Reach her at kfnemetz@gmail.com.
Rob Sperl, CPRE, is the Director of Parks & Planning for Wheaton Park District.
Lessons Learned
Always be ready to adapt and grow. Don’t look at issues as hard stops—look past them to find solutions. The old adage, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” is still true post-COVID-19.
Communication is the key! Weekly communication with the school district, municipality, downtown business association, chamber, neighbors, and other important organizations made it possible to not only complete the project, but plan for the upcoming season post-pandemic. Staff members frequently touch base with various stakeholders to learn what they are working on, their concerns, and how they can support other local government-sector projects. A printed newsletter was distributed to more than 300 neighbors and business owners located near the park to deliver news of the upcoming summer events.
Vendor relationships are more than a handshake. As entertainers were contacted to cancel contracts or push back most events, it was more about the approach to these relationships than anything promised. Vendors and the district were in the same boat with the pandemic; no one was getting ahead. It was important to treat the relationships with care and caution. Entertainment contracts were rolled to the upcoming season willingly by the 30-plus entertainment acts the district had budgeted for in the 2020 season (an estimated $180,000 in expenses).
Planning is not linear. More than anything, the pandemic has taught us that things are ever-changing. To be the best and ahead of the curve, we must project not only financial implications but social implications as well. At first, staff members spent a lot of time making plans only to have to change them. However, as staff adapted to planning for various outcomes, there was less time lost to re-planning since it was more of a continuum than an end goal-type of situation.
It takes a village. Wheaton has an exceptional board of commissioners who were responsive and supportive of staff members during this time. When large projects are in process, it is not just the planning division’s job—it takes all areas to achieve success. From the staff members at the community center answering public questions to the marketing team putting out press notifications to the finance team reallocating budget dollars of canceled events, and so on—this pandemic showed that agencies must consider themselves one team rather than a series of departments with individual goals and objectives.
Recreation is essential. The most important lesson is that, even when the world seems to stop, the need for health, wellness, and recreation do not. Our parks, events, programs, and facilities reach across age, race, equity, and all social divides. The outdoors are always open, and while the pandemic may have forever impacted the way we provide services, it also increased the need for services. Parks and recreation was essential before 2020. As we continue to heal, it will become even more essential throughout 2021.