Kenilworth Voters Consider Tax Hike To Support Park District Upgrades In Nov. 5 Referendum

KENILWORTH, IL — Voters in the village will decide next month whether to approve a property tax increase to fund improvements to local parks and recreational facilities.

The board of the Kenilworth Park District placed a referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot and has asked residents to support an increase of 0.132 percent to the limiting rate under the state's Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

Park district representatives said it only gets 2.5 percent of property tax revenue from Kenilworth homeowners, compared to other local districts, which receive around 4 percent of it.

"While we are doing everything we can to serve our community members, we continue to fall short on our recreational capabilities and offerings," district officials said on a website set up to provide information about the referendum.

If approved, money from the referendum would go toward upgrades to the Green Bay Trail, a new recreation center to replace Village House and improvements to Townley Field, according to the website.

"We will continue to work with [officials from Joseph Sears] School and the Village to connect the trail between Winnetka and Wilmette through the west side of Townley Field," officials said, "mitigating safety concerns caused by bicyclists navigating through streets and the school blacktop, and reducing the risk of accidents."

The new recreation center would include a basketball gym, indoor pickleball and a space for community meetings and events.

In addition to tax revenues, the park district staff plan to continue applying for state grants to support capital projects, even if voters approve the referendum.

"This would build an even stronger community where people of all ages could create memories that last a lifetime," officials said. "We would be able to provide more community events and enhanced opportunities for a broader range of ages. We would eliminate the gap in services during colder months. And we would make our community even more desirable, increasing our residents’ property values."

To inform the public about the details of the referendum, the Kenilworth Park District is holding a series of informational sessions.

Residents can attend one of two virtual town hall meetings scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Tuesday. A third session, an in-person Q&A with the Park Board, will take place on Thursday at Kenilworth Assembly Hall, 410 Kenilworth Ave.