The South boat storage lot has been completed!
The sheetpile has ben cut and the sheetpile cap has been installed. The lot has been backfilled.
Remaining items include installation of the handrail and placement of armor stone on the south side of the lot.
The majority of the sheetpile that will form the parking lot has been driven into the ground.
Once completed, crews will cut the sheets, install drainage, and backfill the lot.
The project is on track to be completed late April.
Demolition is nearing completion and the crews will begin to prepare the site for installation of the sheet pile, which will serve as the border for the reconstructed lot.
A crane was delivered today. Additional equipment and sheet pile will be delivered in the coming days.
Driving of the sheet pile is expected to begin late next week.
The project is on track to be completed by April.
Construction is scheduled to begin on March 19, 2024
The new sand ramp is now open!
The mounting structure for the new ramp has been installed and the sand ramp has been set in place.
Once final modifications are made, the ramp will be completed.
Work on the winch electric line has been completed.
Replacement of the winch electric line is currently underway.
The new sand ramp has been delivered to the site and will be set in place once the mounting structure is fabricated and installed.
The project is on track to be completed by late April.
The final patchwork on the surfacing has been completed and the playground gates have been installed.
The playground is now open for play and features a new seating area!
Landscape restoration work within the tot lot has been completed.
Installation of the concrete entry walk and seating areas has been completed.
Installation of the new tot lot surfacing has been completed.
Installation of the new tot lot surfacing has begun.
Materials for the tot lot surfacing have been delivered. Installation of the new surfacing is expected to begin on Monday, September 16.
Replacement of the fencing around the elementary playground is nearing completion.
Replacement of the fencing around the tot lot is nearing completion.
The elementary playground will close for construction beginning in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 4.
Both playgrounds will be closed until the project is complete.
Concrete has been installed for the new seating area and entrance walk. Topsoil and turf restoration work has begun.
Demolition of the tot lot’s surfacing has been completed.
Construction on the Tot Lot is scheduled to begin Monday, August 19. Please note that the Tot Lot will be closed starting that day.
The elementary playground will remain open a few more weeks, until construction on the fence begins.
The roof replacement at Memorial Park has been completed.
The roof replacement at Memorial Park is expected to occur on Saturday, October 19.
The Golf Learning Center roof replacement has been completed.
The roof replacement on the Golf Learning Center is expected to begin the week of September 30.
The roof replacement at Memorial Park is expected to begin the week of September 23.
The roof replacement at Moraine Park has been completed.
The dugout roofs have been replaced at Sunset Woods.
The roof at the Sunset Woods Fieldhouse has been completed.
The roof on the Sunset Woods Fieldhouse is expected to be replaced on Friday, August 23, 2024.
The Moraine Park roof replacement is expected to begin August 9.
The roof at Old Elm has been replaced.
The roof at Old Elm Park is scheduled to be replaced August 7.
The north backstop has been replaced!
Removal of the south backstop has been completed.
Replacement of the north backstop is nearing completion.
Construction has started and the project is expected to be completed on September 10.
Removal and replacement work is expected to begin the week of September 9. During construction, the direct area around the backstops will be closed.
Coloring of the courts was completed on Monday, September 23; the nets have been put back onto the courts.
Coloring of the courts started today.
Striping of the courts is expected to begin on September 19.
Patch work on the courts has been completed. Leveling of the court surface is nearing completion.
Coloring and striping are expected to begin the week of September 16.
Construction will begin on September 10 and the courts will be closed.
Construction is expected to begin the week of September 9. During construction, all courts will be closed.
Work to repair failed slopes and improve slope stability at Millard Park is anticipated to begin late summer 2022. During this time, portions of the bluff path and park will remain blocked off due to erosion on the bluff and possible unstable conditions. Due to the nature of construction, the park roadway access and parking may be temporarily closed at times. Please follow detour signs for available paths through the park.
Millard Park and Beach is one of four lakefront properties owned by the Park District and is maintained as a passive natural area with minimal recreation amenities. Access through the park begins along a rustic path that runs across the western portion and middle of the park, passing both through and around a historic garden. Another trail runs along the east edge of the park, along the bluff. All paths unite to a single route along the northern half and lead to a gazebo structure. Overall, the park encompasses about 1,300 linear feet of bluff face ranging in height from 20 to 75 feet above the lake. The beach divides into four sections by sheet pile walls extending 70 to 150 feet long into Lake Michigan.
Over the past few years, storm and wave damage exacerbated by high lake levels have led to slope failures at the toe and top of the bluff. Based on a recommendation from the 2021 Beach Management Plan completed by SmithGroup, staff received Board direction to select a firm to provide a geotechnical study of the bluff and recommendations for future treatment. V3 Companies conducted a Slope Stability Analysis and recommended strategies for ensuring safety and long-term preservation of the bluff in keeping with its natural character and use as a passive park and beach. That report was delivered in July 2021 and presented to the Park Board of Commissioners on August 24, 2021. On September 30, 2021, staff received direction to develop a bid document for recommended remediation. This work may include:
Site work began in Fall 2022.
Seeds and plants have been established well throughout the summer growing season. Staff plans to move fencing back at the north end of the upper park to open access to the gazebo. Fencing will remain on the edge of the bluff to continue to allow for the top-of-slope vegetative establishment and will be re-evaluated in the Spring.
Native seeds and plants installed on the bluff last growing season have established well in several zones throughout the project area. In late May, staff and volunteers installed plants and moved the fence closer to the bluff’s edge to allow visitors more access in the upper park. Staff will continue to assess the site on a weekly basis, with the goal to reopen the northern section of the upper park closest to the gazebo in the next month.
Grading work is now complete on the bluff. Native seeds and plants have been installed on the bluff; these deeply rooted plants will help in the re-establishment of the bluff’s native plant communities in the three grading zones. Additionally, a buffer of native seed was installed along the top of the bluff, and grass seed was installed in the upper park. This area will remain fenced off to allow the plants to establish.
Grading work is set to begin this week to create a more stable slope and upper park. There may be closures to the beach parking lot to allow safe movement of construction equipment.
Historic lake bluff and beach species such as White Cedar, Common Juniper, Serviceberry and Staghorn Sumac stand out now in the restoration areas.
Tree work is nearly complete and the next phase of work, grading of the bluff to create a more stable slope, is set to begin. There may be closures to the beach parking lot to allow safe movement of construction equipment as we make this transition.
Tree work continues this week. Frozen ground conditions are helping to protect the sensitive bluff areas.
Tree removals to protect the Millard Park lake bluff from further erosion are scheduled to begin the week of December 5. During this time there may be construction traffic on the west access road leading to the top of the park and there may be path closures. The work is expected to take 2 to 3 weeks but will depend on suitable weather conditions to avoid damaging the sensitive lake bluff. Â
When large trees fall due to storms or other natural causes, major damage can occur as they tear away soil and underlying clay.  By proactively removing at-risk trees on the slope and installing native plants and shrubs, we hope to stabilize the bluff. For more information, contact Rebecca Grill at [email protected].
Restoration to the lake bluff at Millard Park has begun with the re-routing of park pathways by Parks crews. New connections will allow visitors to walk in the popular upper park at most times during this project. The first construction phase is anticipated to start in November and continue through the winter and early spring of 2023.
Park District crews have begun to reroute portions of the Millard Park pathway to prepare for the Bluff Restoration project. Some of these temporary paths will eventually become permanent. This is due to the need to move paths away from the bluff edge to protect from future erosion.
On September 28, 2022, the Park District Board of Commissioners approved the award of 2022-2023 Millard Bluff Grading and Tree Removal project in the base amount of $319,300. The contractor, RES Environmental Operating Company LLC, is expected to begin work in the coming weeks.
Priority removal of trees is along the top and base of the slope where significant slope failure is already occurring, exacerbated by uprooted trees that tear out fragile bluff soils.
A revised invitation for bid will be issued for 2022 Millard Bluff Grading and Tree Removal. Work will include grading of sheer top of bluff slopes to a stable 2:1 ratio, removal of trees to promote soil stability and restoration of the area with native seeds and live plants.
District Staff worked with City of Highland Park Building and Forestry departments to refine the scope of work, significantly reducing the number of trees for removal and getting approval for grading and restoration plans.
With Army Corps, City Forestry and IDNR permit reviews complete, an invitation for bid was issued for 2022 Millard Bluff Tree Removal. A single bid was received and opened on January 14. Staff recommendation was to defer this work to take place under safer weather conditions and to combine tree removal with proposed grading work, therefore, no bid was accepted.
A Joint Application to the US Army Corps of Engineers to permit access to the beach has been submitted as planning for work to stabilize the bluff continues.
Staff met on-site with V3 Companies and City staff to plan a detailed topo survey of the bluff face and tree inventory.
At the Parks and Natural Areas Committee Meeting, staff presented the Millard Park project plan for 2021 and 2022 based on the bluff stabilization report by V3. Recommendations include bluff trail relocation and grading, tree removal and slope grading on the bluff, seeding and planting, repair of the concrete seawall on the beach, and ongoing monitoring. The total cost for these projects is estimated to be $313,500. The Committee provided consensus to enter into an agreement with V3 for engineering, design, survey, and permitting in the amount of $24,300.Â
Slope Stability Analysis presented to the Park Board by Greg Wolterstorff, V3 Companies.
V3 Slope Stability Analysis Report received.
The new gate and entry walk are open!
The new gate and entry walk have been installed.
While the concrete cures, the gate and walk will be closed. The new gate and walk will be closed until Monday, September 16.
Gate construction is expected to begin on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Entry walk construction is expected to start the week of September 9, 2024.
During construction, the courts will remain open.
Your donation will ensure we can bring this project to fruition. Learn more about our donation levels.
Ready to Play Ball at Jeff Fox Field!
Construction of the ballfield has been completed.
Installation of the brick pavers has been completed, the artificial turf installation is underway.
The scoreboard sign posts have been installed.
Concrete has been installed for the spectator seating area and the site is being prepped for the turf installation.
Drainage installations to the field have been completed. Footings for the shelter have also been installed.
The bleacher cover column footings have been installed and the construction crew is prepping the area to install the brick pavers.
Construction is underway at Larry Fink Park.
The construction fence has been installed.
On Tuesday, March 12, the Park District of Highland Park celebrated the Jeff Fox Field Groundbreaking at Larry Fink Memorial Park with the Athletic Boosters.
At the December 2023 meeting, the Park Board of Commissioners approved the project for $1.02 million to modernize the existing baseball field at Larry Fink Park.
Please be aware that landscape restoration is still underway and contractors will intermittently be working on or around the path
Restoration work around the trail is nearing completion.
Paving work has been completed!
Restoration work will begin this week.
Construction is underway!
Construction has started!
The trail system in the construction area is now closed.
