Park Meadow Project

Project Overview

As part of natural resource management, the Naperville Park District began a Park Meadow Initiative to improve its stewardship of parkland several years ago. This initiative involves converting turf grass to meadow in strategic areas in selected parks. The Park District planted the meadow areas with native wildflowers and low prairie grasses. The areas selected for conversion include stormwater detention sites and other areas that are frequently wet due to the topography of the site. The areas range in size from .10 acre to 1.25 acre. The Park District intends to extend the project into future years including 2023, converting additional acres into meadow each year in other parks across the District.

If you have questions about these projects, please contact Peggy Motta, Project Manager, at pmotta@napervilleparks.org or at 630-848-5013.

Project Locations

2019 Projects

North

Century Farms Park, 715 Sigmund Road

Olesen Estates, 1415 Dunrobin Road

Wil-O-Way Park, 1408 W. Jefferson Avenue

Central

Bailey Hobson Woods Park, 1184 Hobson Mill Drive

Buttonwood Park, 803 Buttonwood Circle

Willowgate Square, 408 Travelaire Avenue

South

Ashbury Greenway, 3475 Naperville Road

Brook Crossings, 1015 95th Street

Knoch Knolls Park, 320 Knoch Knolls Road

2020 Projects

In August 2019 the Naperville Park District held its annual Capital Projects Open House, where residents learned about the improvements planned for 2020 and provided feedback.

Due to unforeseen circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the Park District shifted four of the six 2020 projects to the 2021 and 2022 budget years. See below for further detail.

Park Meadow Restoration projects at Stanford Meadows and Wil-O-Way Commons were completed in 2020. The work in these two parks was a collaboration with the City of Naperville. Their staff removed sediment in the stormwater detention basins. Next, the Park District seeded the disturbed areas. If you have any questions regarding the sediment removal work, please do not hesitate to contact the City of Naperville at (630) 420-6111.

North

Wil-O-Way Commons, 1071 W. Jefferson Avenue

Central

Stanford Meadows, 1991 Stanford Drive

2021 Projects

North

Redfield Commons, 1324 Redfield Road.

Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Avenue.

South

Springbrook Parkway, 2359 Nottingham Lane.

2022 Projects

Central

Brighton Ridge Park, 775 Torrington Drive.

2023 Projects

North

Fairway Commons Park, 955 Fairway Drive

Central

Kingsley Prairie, 160 Ring Road.

General Project Timeline for Each Location

Year 1

Removal of turf and invasive plants, shrubs and trees in planting area; preparation of soil; seeding with native Illinois low prairie mix; planting of cover crop while prairie grows.

Years 2-5

Monitoring and maintenance of meadow areas to ensure healthy growth.

Year 3

By the end of the growing season, the native prairie plants are expected to be established, covering at least 60% of the entire area.

Before and After Photos

As an example, the Park District converted turf to meadow in a drainage swale at Century Farm Park. (Please note: the 2019 project at Century Farms Park expanded the meadow that was created earlier.)