The map shows when the various phases of construction will take place at Recreation Park in Arlington Heights. The park will eventually extend to Northwest Highway.

After more than a decade of construction, Recreation Park in Arlington Heights will soon be expanded to Northwest Highway.

The expansion was possible because the park district has worked to acquire seven properties along Northwest Highway and N. Belmont Avenue over the past few years. With most of the properties adjacent to Recreation Park now owned by the park district — with the exception of a single-family home at 15 N. Belmont Ave. — park officials felt it was the right time to move forward with a multi-year project to modernize the park.

The three-phase plan called for the township to rezone the homes on Belmont and businesses on Northwest Highway to parkland, issue a special use permit and agree to several variances. Trustees unanimously approved the requests during the regular township council meeting on Monday, August 5.

Over the next three years, the 85-year-old park will undergo several renovations, adding new facilities and trails. Plans include replacing the existing playground with a railroad-themed, inclusive playground, renovating baseball fields, relocating a basketball court, and building a skate park, new tennis courts, sack toss games, and a rain garden. Additionally, the existing gymnasium, built by the Works Progress Administration, will be preserved and restored.

The total cost of the project is nearly $24 million. About $4 million of the funding will come from two open space acquisition and development grants awarded to the Arlington Heights Park District in 2023 and 2024.

“This has been a several-year process,” John Kramer, director of parks and planning, told the council. “We looked at this in several phases.”

The only sticking point for trustees was how the loss of the businesses along Northwest Highway would affect local tax revenues. Trustee Jim Bertucci noted that while the businesses only accounted for about $380,000 in sales tax revenue before they closed, the total tax loss could be much higher when factoring in potential property taxes.

“I just want us to be aware of what is happening here and to be cautious in any future planning, whether it is your board/staff or our board/staff, when it comes to expropriating property that could generate business tax or property tax,” he said before ultimately voting for the park expansion.

Others felt that the loss of sales and property taxes was a worthwhile trade-off for the expansion of parkland. Trustee Richard Baldino pointed out that a majority of residents believe the village needs more green space in Arlington Heights’ recent master plan.

Mayor Tom Hayes, meanwhile, noted that the situation at Recreation Park is unusual because he can’t think of any other situation where properties border park areas. “Of course the community wants green space,” Hayes said. “They want parks. So it’s about balancing the competing interests.”

Trustee Nicolle Grasse echoed Hayes and Baldino, adding that parks and open space provide important public health benefits to the community. “That’s why we have businesses that want to come here. That’s why people want to move here, and that’s a very important part – just as important as the businesses,” she said. “While I understand it’s always good to look at the bigger picture of tax revenue, I believe the cost-benefit of what you’re providing our community with our parks far exceeds what we’re getting from those small businesses on Northwest Highway.”