 (Left to Right) Riverwalk Committee Chairman, Gary Bernard, President of Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Kevin Poorten and Village of Winfield President, Carl Sorgatz cut the ribbon to officially open Riverwalk Park in Winfield, IL on October 5th.
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Riverwalk Debuts with Official Ribbon Cutting Officials from the Village of Winfield, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, the Winfield Riverwalk Committee, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the Knights of Columbus and members of the public were on hand for the official ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase 1 of the brand new Riverwalk Park on October 5th in Winfield.
The project, located on High Lake Road in Winfield Town Center culminates the first phase of a multi-group collaboration which officially began in 2018. In addition, to the generous donation of land by CDH, the project was made possible by grant funding through an Illinois Department of Natural Resources for Open Lands Acquisition and Development Grant (OSLAD), which is a 50% matching grant for projects up to $800,000 (maximum of $400,000 available in grant funds).
Complemented by the existing regional trail running parallel to the DuPage River, amenities featured in this first phase include new trails, bike repair and fitness stations, open space with wetland restoration, a new pollinator garden, a canoe/kayak launch, and access points for fishing. The Village is also pleased to recognize the Knights of Columbus contribution of a new picnic shelter pavilion.
“We are so excited and glad that we are able to be involved and a partner for this wonderful project for the community. Today is indicative of the deepening and strengthening of a partnership that we have with the Village of Winfield. I appreciate the number of individuals and organizations that came together to make this vision a reality,” said Kevin Poorten, president of Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.
Winfield Village President Carl Sorgatz also emphasized the importance of partnerships in the community. “You have the parking deck being built, the Riverwalk Park, the Town Center construction, and the three-story office building construction is underway. Public and private partnerships are how things get done. You can see it happening here in Winfield. I am very excited about where we are going,” Sorgatz said. NM-CDH will be constructing the second phase of Riverwalk Park next year upon completion of the new parking deck. Phase 2 will include a performance band shell, public washrooms, more trails, and additional public amenities.
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Sunday, October 31st is Halloween!A few safety reminders should be kept in mind and shared with children on this holiday. Recommended hours for trick-or-treating are 3-7 PM. Parents or an older sibling should accompany children and make sure they don't enter anyone's home without your permission. - Map out a Trick-or-Treat route for your children to follow.
- Make sure kids cross only at corners and look in all directions first. Caution them against crossing the street between parked cars, where drivers may not be able to see them.
- Remind kids to use sidewalks or walk facing traffic so approaching cars can be seen.
- Fasten reflective tape to costumes and/or bags to help drivers see them.
- Warn children not to eat any goodies until parents have had a chance to inspect them. When in doubt, throw it out. When it comes to Halloween, each resident must make the decision as to whether or not they would like to engage in the holiday festivities, and if so, to what level they feel most comfortable. If you choose to opt out, it is recommended to turn off your porch light and/or post a sign. We ask everyone to be a good neighbor and to please be respectful of others and their decisions to participate/not participate in Trick-or-Treating this year.
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 Village Board members attend the recent ground breaking of the 3-story anchor building in Town Center, located across from the Village Hall.
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Town Center Revitalization Update..On September 16, the Village of Winfield held a public hearing about the plans for Winfield Town Center. Village Board President Carl Sorgatz presented the latest redevelopment plan to create a pedestrian-friendly retail destination district and public gathering space that will: - Attract new restaurants and retail businesses.
- Create new public amenities and beautification projects for residents and visitors.
- Inspire new residential and commercial development.
- Permanently generate additional revenue for the Village, schools, parks, library, Fire Protection District and other taxing bodies.
- All without raising residents’ property taxes.
Also noted was that ground was broken on a new commercial/office building being constructed on the vacant land directly across Jewell Road from the Village Hall. This building will host retail and restaurants on its first floor, medical offices on the upper two floors, and serve as an anchor for further mixed-use development on surrounding properties in the Town Center.
The Winfield Town Center plans to offer a new vision for downtown Winfield, turning 6.75 acres of unused and under-used land into an inviting, attractive and vibrant focal point for the community.
The Village has negotiated the redevelopment agreement with Central DuPage Hospital (CDH) to partner in developing this extensive project that will transform the Town Center. It also allows CDH to construct its newest parking deck to accommodate increased visitors and staff. This deck will be available for use by residents and visitors on evenings and weekends. As a nonprofit entity, the CDH parking deck would normally be exempt from property taxes. However, under Winfield’s agreement, CDH will place the deck on the property tax rolls for a minimum of 20 years.
Property tax revenue from the CDH parking deck and other new projects in the Town Center will contribute to a new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District. The TIF fund will be used to commercially redevelop the area around the Metra Station, for incentives to attract new businesses and assist existing businesses, for planned public improvements for residents, and for a new police department/municipal center of modest design to adequately serve the Village.
The Village is collaborating with the school districts and other taxing bodies that govern Winfield to develop a fair and equitable Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that permits these entities to benefit from the financial rewards of TIF development in Winfield Town Center over the coming decades, projected to deliver over $20M in new revenues to fellow local governments over the next 23 years alone. In addition to future revenue provided under an IGA, some existing TIF #1 parcels will be returned to the tax rolls immediately upon the Village Board’s approval of the new TIF #2, which will result in new revenue for taxing bodies in the very near future. Formal consideration of the TIF #2 ordinances is planned for the November 4 Village Board meeting. For more information, please visit the dedicated TIF page on the Village website at the following link https://tinyurl.com/rnx437fu.
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Hydrant Flushing in the Village..The Public Works Department has begun the annual water hydrant flushing process throughout the Village, which will continue over the next several weeks. While there should be no impact on residents, please contact Village Hall at (630) 933-7100 with any questions.
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