New Lenox Park District Initiates Nearly Half of its 45-Site ADA Audits, Prepares for Massive Spring Construction

New Lenox Community Park District Board of Commissioners Meeting | March 18, 2026

Article Summary:
The New Lenox Community Park District is moving rapidly on its district-wide accessibility audit, completing evaluations at 19 parks in less than a week. The swift administrative progress mirrors an aggressive spring construction schedule, highlighted by the imminent resumption of the Sharon’s Bay Park redevelopment and the ordering of a new playground for Cherry Hill.

Park Development and Audits Key Points:

• ADA Audits: The district successfully audited 19 park sites between March 9 and March 13, marking nearly 50% completion of the ADA Transition Plan assessment.

• Cherry Hill Playground: A new playground has been ordered for Cherry Hill through Sourcewell, funded by bond money.

• Crossroads Repairs: Maintenance staff are working with the Motz group to repair a sinkhole on Field 8 and set new concrete base pegs at the Crossroads Sports Complex.

• Spring Resumption: Major site work at both Sharon’s Bay Park and Teerling Lakes Central Park will resume as soon as the weather breaks.

The New Lenox Community Park District Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, reviewed an aggressive timeline of ongoing park audits and imminent spring construction projects designed to modernize the district’s aging infrastructure.

Commissioner Larson provided a highly positive update on the district’s sweeping ADA Assessment Transition Plan. He reported that between March 9 and March 13, specialized teams successfully audited 19 separate park sites for accessibility compliance. With roughly half of the district’s 45 sites evaluated in less than a week, Larson noted the teams are well on track to complete the remaining audits shortly.

As the audits map out future accessibility upgrades, the district’s maintenance department is preparing to break ground on several major capital projects. Director of Parks-Maintenance Ken Stephens announced that a new playground replacement for Cherry Hill has been officially ordered through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program. The project is being fully funded by recently issued bond money.

Stephens also reported that the Bristol Park Land Drainage Mitigation project is ready for the market. The project was scheduled to go out to bid on March 23, with an official bid opening date set for April 8.

As the weather thaws, heavy machinery will return to several ongoing massive developments. Stephens confirmed that all work on the highly anticipated Sharon’s Bay Park Redevelopment, funded by an OSLAD Grant, will resume in April or May. Furthermore, all site work for the Teerling Lakes Central Park Development is slated to begin this spring.

Maintenance crews are also troubleshooting minor issues at the newly opened Crossroads Sports Complex. Larson reported that a sinkhole identified on Field 8 is scheduled to be repaired. Additionally, the district is working with the specialized turf group Motz to set base pegs in concrete, allowing the home plate turf to be easily interchangeable for both baseball and softball configurations.

While managing existing properties, Executive Director Greg Lewis informed the Board that the district is actively participating in meetings with the Village of New Lenox regarding several new residential developments approaching the village. Lewis emphasized that the park district intends to work closely with developers to secure “turnkey parks” for the community as part of any new residential expansions.