Upgrades Finished For Eight District 58 Playgrounds

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — After nearly four years of work and planning, fundraising and building, eight District 58 playgrounds have been upgraded. The work has been part of an ongoing plan to revamp all 11 playgrounds, an effort bolstered by $1.6 million in state grants.

“We are so grateful for the support from the state, the advocacy of Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, our parents and the PTAs that put in countless hours fundraising and supporting these efforts,” District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell shared in a statement.

Russell added, “The playgrounds will last many years and countless children in our community will benefit from the new playgrounds.”

The $1.6 million in grant money was awarded as part of House Bill 62 in 2019. Shortly after, committees were formed to envision upgrades to playgrounds at each of the schools in District 58. The designs prioritized upgrading equipment to help foster social, emotional and motor skills, in addition to improving accessibility.

The playground project has brought support via parent and staff volunteers, fundraising efforts and donations from local groups. In March, the Downers Grove Soccer Club donated more than $12,000 to support the purchase of accessible playground equipment for district schools.

As of Wednesday, work is still underway to improve and update the playgrounds at Highland and Whittier Elementary Schools. It's anticipated that those projects will wrap up in 2024.