There could be a new outdoor public plaza in south Naperville.
Recently the Hitchcock Design Group presented its concepts to the Naperville Public Library board for an outdoor public plaza.
The 2.2-acre site near the Frontier Sports Complex and adjacent to the 95th Street Library would become a mixed-use suburban hub for Neuqua Valley students, library users, and all of south Naperville to utilize.
“We said ‘What if the project is really more than just this two acres? What about this entire campus if you will? What if we had a goal to completely sustain the gateway to the most important outdoor civic campus in south Naperville,” said President of Hitchcock Design Group Richard Hitchcock during the presentation.
Hitchcock showed illustrations and images of what the plaza could include, such as a band shell, playgrounds, gardens, trails, and possibly more. Even a video was shown that modeled some of the concepts.
Manager of 95th Street Library Karen Dunford was one of the brainstormers behind the idea.
“It really is the missing puzzle piece for everything to really just come together and become all the more attractive,” said Dunford. “I think that this is a vision that can become a reality and I think once it does it would be so busy and so popular it would be unbelievable.”
Library staff was very receptive of the project but had some questions about parking, disability access, and student involvement.
The public plaza would potentially cost $4.6 million. Where those funds come from is still up in the air, and both those from the park district and Hitchcock Design Group agree that more discussion is needed before moving any further.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.
