A visual history of the last 14 years at West Park Wilmette IL

On the west side of Wilmette IL, reside a park that borders Glenview IL. The park has recently undergone a number of changes in structure with minimal neighborhood outreach. Using Google Earth, a series of images were capture to show these changes over time.

1. A visual history of the past 14 years in West Park - Wilmette, IL
Feb 10, 2022
Created using images from Google Earth

2. 2008
A quiet place for people
of all ages.
An open space perfect
for a sunny day where
people come to play,
have a catch, fly a kite,
relax, chat, or sit under
an old tree.

3. 2015
7 years later increasing
storm water issues
requires the park to be
gutted and used for
underground water
retention.
Meanwhile a new plan is
being executed on the
southwest end of the
park.

4. 2017
A new artificial field is
created for year round
sports play and
something new for the
West Side, a small
paddle court. Will it
bring new friends to the
area or be used primarily
by the neighborhood? Is
there now a meeting
place for local residents
to call their own similar
to the various meeting
places on the east side
of Wilmette?



Sadly the trees to the
north of the park were
never replaced. No
beautification berm
installed for toddlers to
run up and down. No
walking trail for local
residents who want to
exercise but are not part
of organized sports.

5. 2018
March
A year later in the spring,
some growth of the new
trees as the land
continues to heal itself.
Just think, in a decade
from now how the
damage from the dig will
be replaced with new
growth and the
construction will be a
distant memory.

6. 2018
October
However, a few short
months later in the fall,
“the biggering” begins.

7. 2018
October
Two more courts added
50+ parking spaces added
2 more ominous steel
and wire paddle courts
are added bringing
unintended
consequences. It is now
more challenging for
families to safely walk
from from the baseball
diamond over to the
playground as a direct
trail was ever designed.
However, more parking
spaces were added
taking away more open
space on the west side
of the park.



Did the local residents
drive more to the park
and need the parking…
or is this parking
primarily for others who
”pay to play”?

8. 2021
Here we were just a year
ago during COVID.
Across our nation local
parks see a resurgence
in appreciation and are
viewed as key outdoor
place for neighborhood
people and for those that
enjoy sports to come to
relax, get out of their
homes, and work on
their mental & physical
health in a safe outdoor
setting.

9. warm up 

baseball
sit to watch 

your kids
play tag
relax with family
2021
What is not obvious to
those that don’t use the
park daily, are how the
shrinking but still
remaining open spaces
are used to contribute to
good mental health,
relaxation, and play.

10. sidewalk that never came
2021
Yet, there are also
things left undone.

The sidewalk that never
came, perhaps because
someone thought this is
not a place that West
Wilmette (golf course
residents) and Avoca
families should walk to?
A central place for
gathering as a local west
side community is never
realized.



Is this place purely for
drivers? Only for others
who pay for the
privileged to be at the
park, snow or sun, day
or night?

11. 2025?WHAT WILL BE THE
FUTURE REALITY OF
THIS PROUD PARK FOR
THE NEXT
GENERATION OF
NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS?
Will “the biggering“
continue? Will Wilmette
continue to build more,
more, and more. Making
local residents feel like
outsiders in the closest
park in their area. With no
space left for open
unorganized play for
toddlers, kids, teens,
grandparents, ADA? Will
paid programs and adult
clubs be the new normal? 



Or will Wilmette choose to
pause, take breath,
reassess, reach out to the
multi-cultural residents and
create a true master plan
that takes into account the
needs of the local
neighbors that rightfully call
this park their second
home.
Wouldn’t you want that for
your neighborhood?