Larimer Park (located at Oak and Crain) was last updated over 17 years ago (1993) and currently is in desperate need of renovation due to outdated and broken equipment. Neighborhood families, nearly 250 YMCA children as well as Parent Day Out preschoolers regularly use Larimer Park. Despite the park's current condition and its heavy usage by Evanston residents and their children, the park is not being targeted by City of Evanston for renovation and is not earmarked for the City's 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (which would make it over 22 years since the last renovation). Please sign this online petition to urge the City of Evanston to put Larimer Park on the City's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and to prioritize it as a park for renovation under the terms of the CIP.
Thank you.
Dear Alderman Wilson, Evanston City Council and City of Evanston Parks and Recreation Division:
I'm writing to urge you to place Larimer Park as a priority park on the City of Evanston's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
Evanston residents are blessed with over 90 neighborhood parks that are dutifully maintained by the City's Parks and Forestry Department. I'd like to bring attention to Larimer Park, which is in desperate need of renovation due to outdated and broken equipment.
Neighborhood families, nearly 250 YMCA children as well as Parent Day Out preschoolers heavily use Larimer Park. This park was last updated over 17 years ago (1993) and this was a minor upgrade relative to current standards. Despite the park's current condition and its heavy usage by Evanston residents and their children, the park is not being targeted by City of Evanston for renovation and is not earmarked for the City's 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (which would make it over 22 years since the last renovation). Yet, less trafficked parks and parks that have been more recently renovated are being earmarked for renovations on the CIP (Grey, Independence, Twiggs, Southwest).
I realize that during tight budgetary times the City is forced to make tough decisions, but within those limited dollars allocated to parks, I urge the City to assess park renovations on standard criteria such as age, condition and utilization rates and to please prioritize Larimer Park on the City of Evanston's Capital Improvement Plan.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
