ABOUT WALNUT PARK Located on Walnut Avenue south of Ogden Avenue on the northwest corridor of Downers Grove, the Walnut Park property is easily accessible by I-355 and I-88. Acquired through two past land purchases—4.8 acres in 2008 and 14.8 acres in 2015—the Walnut Park property currently features one soccer field and a small picnic pavilion with a gravel parking lot. The site is mostly undeveloped land featuring a mowed path, which connects to the Belmont Prairie Buffer and Nature Preserve.
ENVISIONING THE FUTURE Since the beginning of 2021, the Downers Grove Park District has worked with the design team at Wight & Company to create conceptual design plans for the site at no cost to the District. These initial renderings and site plans will help the community to envision the future of the site and possible amenities it could offer.
The initial proposal incorporates a majority of the recommended and desired indoor and outdoor recreation amenities as well as nature-based recreation opportunities, including an interpretive pavilion. Additional native landscaping would complement Belmont Prairie and provide a sound buffer and privacy for the homes of nearby residents.
The District anticipates the long-term master plan for the Walnut Park property to be implemented over numerous years and a series of phases.
