New Lenox Park District Advances $1.5 Million Bond Plan for Playground Overhauls and Future Projects

Meeting Summary and Briefs: New Lenox Community Park District Meeting | September 2025

Article Summary: The New Lenox Community Park District Board of Commissioners has formally advanced a plan to sell up to $1.5 million in bonds to fund capital improvements, including a partnership project to replace aging playgrounds at two local schools. The board unanimously passed a resolution concerning a legally required public hearing for the bond issue.

Park District Bond Plan Key Points:

• The board approved Resolution #25-11, a required step before the sale of $1.5 million in General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds.

• A primary use for the funds will be replacing the playgrounds at Nelson Prairie and Nelson Ridge schools.

• The playground replacement will be a shared project between the Park District and New Lenox School District #122.

• The board is considering various playground designs, including surfaces made of mulch, poured-in-place rubber, and one with enhanced ADA accessibility.

The New Lenox Community Park District is moving forward with a plan to fund major park and playground improvements by unanimously approving a resolution related to a future $1.5 million bond sale.

The Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, passed Resolution #25-11, which concerns a hearing required under the state’s Bond Issue Notification Act. This is a preliminary but critical step that must be taken before the district can sell the Series 2026 General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds.

A significant portion of the proceeds from the bond sale is already earmarked for a major capital project: the complete replacement of aging playgrounds at Nelson Prairie and Nelson Ridge schools. Director of Parks-Maintenance Ken Stephens reported that the playgrounds have reached the end of their functional lifespan.

The replacement initiative will be a shared project between the park district and New Lenox School District #122. Stephens said his department is working with the school district on concept plans and is currently considering three distinct designs. The options include one with a traditional mulch surface, another featuring a more modern poured-in-place rubber surface, and a third design that would incorporate enhanced ADA accessible components.

The unanimous passage of the resolution, moved by Commissioner Ott and seconded by Commissioner Kraemer, allows the district to proceed with the legal requirements for the bond sale, which will provide the necessary capital to undertake the playground projects and other future improvements across the district.