Friday, April 19, 2013
No one was injured at the Centennial Park and Recreation Center.
A tennis lesson was underway when the east wall at Wilmette’s Centennial Park and Recreation center started to crumble around 8 a.m. Thursday, Chicago Tribune reported. No one was injured and Wilmette Park District officials are blaming the downpour for causing the wall to buck and roof to bow, a first at the tennis building, according to Wilmette Park District Executive Director Steve Wilson, Chicago Tribune reported. As of 11 .am. Friday morning, trucks and supplies from Robinette Demolition Inc.'s Emergency Response Division were parked in front of the center and construction has appeared to have begun.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Volunteers will be cleaning up a strip of lakefront property in Wilmette between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 13.
Friends of Elmwood Dunes, a group made up of people interested in the 80-foot wide and 600-foot long strip of lakefront property in Wilmette, will hold its first village sanctioned Elmwood activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 13. The group is seeking volunteers to help with heavy brush removal, tagging and culling invasive plants, bagging trash, photographers and people to coordinate refreshments for the volunteers. Last fall, members of the group walked the site with staff from Wilmette’s forestry division and engineering department to get a sense of the cleanups needed. Those interested in participating can contact Friends of the Elmwood Dunes at: Elmwood.Dunes@gmail.com, Wilmette Life reported. Last year, the village’s …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wilmette Park District voted to give stand-up paddle boarders a wider swatch of beach at the south end of Wilmette’s designated sailing beach.
Wilmette Park District recently voted to move stand-up paddle boarders to the south end of the beach at Gillson Park this summer, the option chosen out of four, was the least expensive and will cost about $17,000 to cover staffing, racks, buoys and a portable toilet, Chicago Tribune reported. Stand-up paddle boarders will get a wider swath of beach at the south end of Wilmette’s designated sailing beach and there will also be a lane for paddle boarders to travel parallel to the shore, starting at an undecided distance from the shore, exact details will be worked out in the coming months, Chicago Tribune reported. More than 400 boats and dozens of paddle board users call the beach near Gillson Park home during the summer and the park …
42.07846
-87.68837
Gillson Park
Michigan Ave & Washington Ave, Wilmette, IL
/articles/paddle-board-users-moved-to-south-end-of-gillson-park-beach
1733874
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Monday, March 18, 2013
Friends of the Elmwood Dunes will hold the cleanup from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where volunteers will haul garbage, wood and brush out of the area’s wooded strip.
Friends of Elmwood Dunes, a group made up of people interested in the 80-foot wide and 600-foot long strip of lakefront property in Wilmette, will hold its first village sanctioned Elmwood activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 13, Wilmette Life reported. Last fall, members of the group walked the site with staff from Wilmette’s forestry division and engineering department to get a sense of the cleanups needed, next month the group will be hauling out deadwood and trash as well as tagging invasive plants for removal, those interested in participating can contact Friends of the Elmwood Dunes at: Elmwood.Dunes@gmail.com, Wilmette Life reported. Last year, the village’s Municipal Service Committee recommended turning the Elmwood …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
As stand-up paddle boarding gains popularity many sailors say they cause safety hazards for sail boats returning to shore.
More than 400 boats and dozens of paddle board users call the beach near Gillson Park home during the summer and Wilmette Park District will be discussing three options to decongest the water-activity traffic during Monday’s parks and recreation committee meeting. Wimette resident Chris Dewey, 53, who’s been sailing from the designated sailing beach since 1986 told Chicago Tribune that he saw many close calls between sailors and stand-up paddle boarders last summer, because it’s hard for returning sailors to see paddle boarders when they are not standing up and it’s hard for returning sail boats to move around obstacles in shallow water since they must lift their rudders. Kathy Bingham, superintendent of recreation with Wilmette Park …
42.07846
-87.68837
Gillson Park
Michigan Ave & Washington Ave, Wilmette, IL
/articles/wilmette-park-district-to-discuss-ways-to-decongest-gillson-park-beach
1733874
/locations/9006644
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Wilmette Park District is looking to address noise and light issues at Thornwood Park's ice rink and will review possible changes in the next two months, Chicago Tribune reports.
When Wilmette Park District approved building an ice rink in Wilmette’s Thornwood Park, the decision faced backlash from residents, especially Wilmettans who neighbor the park, but now some residents say the ice rink is a nice option for the community, Chicago Tribune reports. What do you think of Thornwood Ice Rink? Do you like having it in Wilmette? Tell us in the comment section below. Wilmette Park District Director Steve Wilson says he’s received compliments and complaints on the rink but overall he is pleased with the rink since it opened in January—the park district is looking to address complaints about noise, especially the sound of pucks hitting the hockey goals and the lights and will review possible changes for next winter in…
42.084702
-87.735312
Thornwood Park
2400 Thornwood Ave, Wilmette, IL
/articles/wilmette-s-thornwood-ice-rink-wins-some-neighbors-over
1733897
/locations/8956758
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on approving a rental bid on March 7.
After two years of uncertainty, Wilmette Harbor Association could resume its management of the Wilmette Harbor if the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Commissioners approves its annual rental bid of $68,500 for a 39-year lease, Chicago Tribune reported. MWRD rejected two top bidders – Wilmette Harbor Management and CenterPointe Yacht Services – saying the competitors failed to provide sufficient financial documentation and is expected to approve the bid from Wilmette Harbor Association, which has managed the harbor for 75 years, Chicago Tribune reported. The MWRD, which constructed the harbor in 1910 and owns the property, announced its intention to go out to public bid in September 2012 for a 39-year management lease, with…
Monday, March 4, 2013
Paddle tennis courts could open in Wilmette as early as September, Chicago Tribune reports.
Wilmette Park District is conducting a nationwide search for a paddle tennis pro for the four paddle tennis courts the district is planning to build at West Park, the district is waiting for zoning relief from the village before construction could begin, Chicago Tribune reported. The park district has earmarked about $58,000 to hire a part-time professional paddle tennis instructor for 10 months to get a league started and has contacted national paddle tennis organizations and posted the position on their websites, Chicago Tribune reported. Wilmette Park District approved constructing four platform tennis courts and a warming hut at West Park during a July 2012 meeting. The facility to be built at 3555 Lake Ave. is estimated to cost …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The New Trier High School student and Loyola Academy student are the first gymnasts to qualify at the highest level of competition in the district.
Wilmette teenagers Clare Sullivan and Peyton Burns recently made Wilmette Park District history by becoming the first gymnasts named to “Level 10” competition, the highest level of competition in the district, Chicago Tribune reported. Michael Kharpak, Wilmette’s head gymnastics coach, says there are 10 levels in competitive gymnastics with 10 being the most challenging and told Chicago Tribune that he saw something special in both Sullivan and Burns when they were little girls taking part in the district’s Moms & Tots gymnastics program.
42.07552
-87.707809
Wilmette Park District
1200 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette, IL
/articles/wilmette-gymnasts-reach-rare-heights-in-park-district-history
2131038
/locations/8892726
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
More than 400 boats, dozens of paddleboard users call Gillson Park beach home during the summer.
Wilmette Park District is looking at three options to help sailors, kayakers, windsurfers and stand-up paddleboard users moving safely along the beach near Gillson Park during the May-October season, Wilmette Life reported. Among the options include moving paddleboard users to the South Beach non-swimming area or moving paddleboard use to Langdon Beach—both options have potential problems and staff is researching the options before sharing it with the park board’s recreation committee on March 18, Wilmette Life reported. Related Coverage
42.07846
-87.68837
Gillson Park
Michigan Ave & Washington Ave, Wilmette, IL
/articles/wilmette-park-district-seeks-way-to-decongest-gillson-park-beach
1733874
/locations/8841746
