They actually voted no and the park stays exactly how we like it which feels like a total dream honestly. I am just so relieved that we put a stop to those silly plans because my brain is already fried from all the meetings and emails but we managed to …
December 26, 2019
Final supporters
You helped save the trees in Thornwood Park. Now it's time to help preserve Thornwood Park even further by asking the Park District to vote "No!" to a permanent restroom in our beloved neighborhood park. They currently plan to vote "Yes".
The vote will occur next Monday, November 11, 2019, at the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting (6:30 pm at Village Hall) so please sign and forward to your friends and neighbors.
Here are our reasons for opposing a permanent restroom:
1. There was a restroom in Thornwood Park that had to be removed about 30 years ago due to vandalism. Given that we already witness nighttime activities in the park (e.g., broken bottles, fire works, vaping pods, etc.) we have concerns about a permanent, unsupervised structure that might invite more unwelcome behavior.
2. The current PortaPotty is mostly visited by non-park-users, specifically people driving by for their jobs (e.g., delivery, construction, etc.). Replacing a seasonal PortaPotty with a permanent restroom will only attract more non-park-users on an annual basis, to a park where we parents let our kids practice independence skills.
3. Installing an expensive structure that will require frequent cleaning and maintenance does not seem to be a fiscally responsible decision, given no demonstrated demand for this amenity, and in the presence of clear opposition from local neighbors.
4. We have previously asked for no above ground structures, in order to keep the park as-is. Due to the uncertain location of the pumping station, a restroom (and potential permanent generator) would be either in someone's backyard, across the street from someone's house, or will require a paved road through a baseball outfield and possibly the destruction of our beloved climbing trees.
5. We hope this decision can be delayed until the Park District has already installed permanent restrooms in other parks and has collected a year or two of data on restroom usage, appropriate and inappropriate. Thornwood Park is a delicate, neighborhood park, surrounded by close knit neighbors who have perhaps hundreds of years of collective wisdom about the park, and it seems that as much information as possible should be gathered before deciding to install an unwanted building in the park.
Thanks for your continued support to preserve Thornwood Park,
Colgate Street Neighborhood Association
Updates
November 8, 2019
I spent all morning pacing the floor thinking about those construction crews and how they just never listen to the people who actually live here. I have been drafting a massive packet for the committee members but honestly I keep getting distracted by the park layout and how quiet it is right now which is exactly why we need to keep this place as it is.
Reached 100 supporters
November 8, 2019
48 Comments
Is this yet another attempt to monetize nature (and the quiet sanctuary we who live here treasure in Thornwood Park) so the playing fields can be rented out to outside sports teams? That is not how we want our parks in Wilmette managed!! Preservation of peace and quiet and nature by halting any further “development” should be a policy of this and future boards.
Although I’ve often found it frustrating during tennis matches to tell our opponents that they need to use a porta potty, I have to say that the negatives outweigh the positives. I agree with those opposed to the restroom that (as it is unsupervised) it will attract unwanted traffic to the park.
We vote NO to a permanent restroom structure in Thornwood Park. Especially with the future pumping station, we are not in favor of adding yet another structure in Thornwood Park. Please protect our loved and heavily used open space by minimizing permanent structures and additional impermeable surfaces in our precious neighborhood parks. The porta potty is more than adequate.
The existing PortaPotty at Thornwood park is more than sufficient. Already truck drivers, taxi, Uber & Lyft drivers use these facilities on a daily basis, potentially interrupting the neighborhood climate of safety.
We vote no on restrooms At Thornwood Park. There is a lot of after dark activity, (we live right on the park. There are fireworks, smoking weed, broken glass, empty beer cans, vapes, and other activities we try to monitor and clean up after. Restrooms are just another hidden place for all of this to occur. Please do NOT put in permanent restrooms!
I strongly sympathize with the neighbors who live around Thornwood Park who do NOT wish to have a permanent restroom in the area. It would lessen the beauty of the park and because of its location, would attract too many non-park and non-resident users to an area where neighborhood children play.
Please keep our parks natural and beautiful.
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They actually voted no and the park stays exactly how we like it which feels like a total dream honestly. I am just so relieved that we put a stop to those silly plans because my brain is already fried from all the meetings and emails but we managed to …
December 26, 2019
Final supporters
You helped save the trees in Thornwood Park. Now it's time to help preserve Thornwood Park even further by asking the Park District to vote "No!" to a permanent restroom in our beloved neighborhood park. They currently plan to vote "Yes".
The vote will occur next Monday, November 11, 2019, at the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting (6:30 pm at Village Hall) so please sign and forward to your friends and neighbors.
Here are our reasons for opposing a permanent restroom:
1. There was a restroom in Thornwood Park that had to be removed about 30 years ago due to vandalism. Given that we already witness nighttime activities in the park (e.g., broken bottles, fire works, vaping pods, etc.) we have concerns about a permanent, unsupervised structure that might invite more unwelcome behavior.
2. The current PortaPotty is mostly visited by non-park-users, specifically people driving by for their jobs (e.g., delivery, construction, etc.). Replacing a seasonal PortaPotty with a permanent restroom will only attract more non-park-users on an annual basis, to a park where we parents let our kids practice independence skills.
3. Installing an expensive structure that will require frequent cleaning and maintenance does not seem to be a fiscally responsible decision, given no demonstrated demand for this amenity, and in the presence of clear opposition from local neighbors.
4. We have previously asked for no above ground structures, in order to keep the park as-is. Due to the uncertain location of the pumping station, a restroom (and potential permanent generator) would be either in someone's backyard, across the street from someone's house, or will require a paved road through a baseball outfield and possibly the destruction of our beloved climbing trees.
5. We hope this decision can be delayed until the Park District has already installed permanent restrooms in other parks and has collected a year or two of data on restroom usage, appropriate and inappropriate. Thornwood Park is a delicate, neighborhood park, surrounded by close knit neighbors who have perhaps hundreds of years of collective wisdom about the park, and it seems that as much information as possible should be gathered before deciding to install an unwanted building in the park.
Thanks for your continued support to preserve Thornwood Park,
Colgate Street Neighborhood Association
Updates
November 8, 2019
I spent all morning pacing the floor thinking about those construction crews and how they just never listen to the people who actually live here. I have been drafting a massive packet for the committee members but honestly I keep getting distracted by the park layout and how quiet it is right now which is exactly why we need to keep this place as it is.
Reached 100 supporters
November 8, 2019
48 Comments
I have lived near Thornwood Park for almost 30 years and have thoroughly enjoyed all it has to offer. I have never felt the need for permanent restrooms and am wondering who does.
Is this yet another attempt to monetize nature (and the quiet sanctuary we who live here treasure in Thornwood Park) so the playing fields can be rented out to outside sports teams? That is not how we want our parks in Wilmette managed!! Preservation of peace and quiet and nature by halting any further “development” should be a policy of this and future boards.
Although I’ve often found it frustrating during tennis matches to tell our opponents that they need to use a porta potty, I have to say that the negatives outweigh the positives. I agree with those opposed to the restroom that (as it is unsupervised) it will attract unwanted traffic to the park.
We vote NO to a permanent restroom structure in Thornwood Park. Especially with the future pumping station, we are not in favor of adding yet another structure in Thornwood Park. Please protect our loved and heavily used open space by minimizing permanent structures and additional impermeable surfaces in our precious neighborhood parks. The porta potty is more than adequate.
The existing PortaPotty at Thornwood park is more than sufficient. Already truck drivers, taxi, Uber & Lyft drivers use these facilities on a daily basis, potentially interrupting the neighborhood climate of safety.
We vote no on restrooms At Thornwood Park. There is a lot of after dark activity, (we live right on the park. There are fireworks, smoking weed, broken glass, empty beer cans, vapes, and other activities we try to monitor and clean up after. Restrooms are just another hidden place for all of this to occur. Please do NOT put in permanent restrooms!
I strongly sympathize with the neighbors who live around Thornwood Park who do NOT wish to have a permanent restroom in the area. It would lessen the beauty of the park and because of its location, would attract too many non-park and non-resident users to an area where neighborhood children play.
Please keep our parks natural and beautiful.
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I have lived near Thornwood Park for almost 30 years and have thoroughly enjoyed all it has to offer. I have never felt the need for permanent restrooms and am wondering who does.