Posted on: March 5, 2019

The Glen Ellyn Park District board approved the purchase of four parcels of land adjoining Glen Ellyn Manor Park for $475,000 from B.R. Ryall YMCA. The purchase will expand Glen Ellyn Manor Park, located at 375 Illinois Street, by approximately 1.2 acres.

“The Park District has been maintaining the property for the most part over the years to manage invasive species in the area,” said Dave Harris, Executive Director for the Glen Ellyn Park District. “By purchasing the open space, contiguous to an existing park, the District will improve and expand a current asset while seizing a rare opportunity to preserve the limited green space within Glen Ellyn.”

Purchase of the parcels was contingent on the Village of Glen Ellyn vacating the Hillcrest Avenue cul-de-sac that currently divides the park and on the property being void of any environmental issues. The Village Trustees unanimously supported the vacation of the right of way on January 28, 2019. In the next few years, the park district will likely remove the existing Hillcrest Avenue cul-de-sac.

“The cul-de-sac currently divides the public space, creating a physical barrier and allowing vehicle traffic between the park,” said Harris. “Although Manor Park is a neighborhood park and requires minimal parking, the District will explore the possibility of creating a small parallel parking lane along Illinois Street. If approved by the Village, this would  provide some limited street parking opportunity while converting the hard surface/cul-de-sac to additional green space.”

The parcels, located to the south of the playground and west of the current park boundaries, will otherwise remain in their natural condition.

This is the first land acquisition by the Glen Ellyn Park District since 2008 when several parcels were purchased on Lenox Road just north of St. Charles Road near the Ackerman Woods.