This spring, construction began on the new West Ridge Community Center, located at the southeast end of West Ridge Park, and is expected to be completed by Spring 2026. The new building will include a gymnastics center, dance room, flexible classrooms, and a community room. The nearby event lawn, enrichment courtyard, and relocated safety village will provide space for indoor and outdoor programs. In the fall, construction began on a new ballfield with 90-foot base paths and a large outfield to accommodate a variety of sport activities, to replace the current field on the southwest side of West Ridge Park. This new field will be the Park District’s first of this size, providing a welcoming and inclusive space for all ages and abilities. 

In 2019, the Park District conducted a GreenPrint 2024 Master Plan Review and Amendment. This review expressed the need for a multi-purpose facility to provide flexible, multi-generational programming space for youth and adults, and to expand gymnastics programming. It also highlighted the need to address the aging West Ridge Center. The Park District began designing a new community center at West Ridge Park in 2022. In 2024, the Park District was awarded $1.4 million Illinois Department of Natural Resources Park and Recreational Facilities Construction (PARC) grant to help fund portions of the new center. 

“We are excited to open the new West Ridge Community Center this spring. It will be fully accessible, universally designed for inclusivity, and include state-of-the-art safety and security features. It is a facility that addresses community needs and will serve our residents for decades in the future,” said Brian Romes, executive director of the Park District of Highland Park. 

The new West Ridge Community Center will provide ParkSchool students and teachers with modern classrooms and enrichment rooms. Early childhood rooms will open to an outdoor play space and access to an educational native planting area, which supports nature-inspired, play-based learning. 

The new gymnastics center expands from 3,500 at Centennial Ice Arena to 10,000 square feet at the new facility. This will support our growing gymnastics program and include an area for preschoolers with age-appropriate equipment, state-of-the-art equipment for women’s Olympic events, enlarged pit area, in-ground trampoline, and a 40-foot in-ground Tumbl Trak (see illustration on next page). The new dance studio is designed to meet the specialized needs of performers, with proper size, floor, lighting, sound, and ceiling height.

There will be a beautiful community room for meetings, events, and rentals. “People will be excited to use that room,” said Romes. “It opens onto a large event lawn. Guests at events, parties, or meetings can enjoy both indoor and outdoor spaces. The room features sliding glass doors and screens, letting in fresh air. We applied what we’ve learned to this design, creating an extraordinary gathering space for generations.”

“This project leveraged the opportunity to envision the entire West Ridge Park site with a new perspective that would meet the needs of all residents for generations to come,” Romes said. “It will include the addition of our community’s first ballfield with 90-foot basepaths, and future improvements include a universally inclusive sports field, improved pathways and other recreation amenities. We are all excited for the impact this site with have within the community”

Programs will transition to the new West Ridge Community Center when the facility opens in Spring 2026. This project invests in people—from children taking their first gymnastics class, to adults joining community events, to families gathering in this shared space. We can’t wait for you to see it! Watch for Grand Opening announcements, as well as open houses and orientations for ParkSchool and Gymnastics participants.