Lambert: The Plainfield Park District — Part 4

The Inquiry

As the Plainfield Township Park District marked its 45th anniversary, a faithful Patch reader of this column inquired about the history of the local park district.  This is the final installment of a four-part series about the Plainfield Township Park District.

• Click here to read part 1.
• Click here to read part 2.
• Click here to read part 3.

The Facts

As community needs and challenges increased, the Plainfield Township Park District commissioners realized the need for a full-time director to supervise day-to-day operations and implement long-range goals.

Hired in the Spring of 1977, Ed Demarco, the first full-time director of parks and recreation, immediately was confronted with many challenges in Plainfield.

In April 1977, then-Mayor Richard Selfridge began the process of including the Park District in discussions about development and cooperation with the village administration.  Mayor Selfridge outlined three specific issues: appointment of a Park District commissioner as a representative of the Village’s Plan Commission; an offer for the park district to use space within the new Village Hall (then on Illinois Route 59); and a request to return the Village Green to a passive park.  Within a short time, all of those requests were underway.

Simultaneously, the park district was asked, for the first time, to assume long-term maintenance over “open space” within a new subdivision.  Jim Hall proposed that the park district manage the retention ponds in a new subdivision, the Environs (later known as Pheasant Chase).  Ultimately, the Park District commissioners voted down the proposal.

The DeMarco Years

One of the first projects undertaken by the park district under DeMarco’s leadership was the redevelopment of the Village Green park in downtown Plainfield.  The vision was to create a park with fountains, picnic areas and a playground at the site.  High-intensity recreational uses would be diverted to Four Seasons Park on Lockport Street near I-55.  The community was divided over the concept with many residents remaining vocal about the retention of both the tennis courts as well as a ball diamond.  By mid-1979, local landscape architect David Kropp was commissioned and developed plans for returning the Village Green to a passive park design.  While the tennis courts remained, the ball diamond was eliminated.  The final elements of the re-designed Village Green park were completed in 1981.

DeMarco tirelessly pushed for improvements of athletic facilities at Four Seasons Park.  With DeMarco in the forefront, the Park District took the lead with the newly-formed Plainfield Historical Society to designate Plainfield House (a/k/a Halfway House) on Main Street as a national landmark. 

In 1977, negotiations began for a parcel on Ottawa Street.  Under DeMarco, the site was eventually opened—after more than two decades of discussion—as the park district’s pool.

Ed DeMarco pursued his desire to establish a professionally-staffed park district for Plainfield Township residents.  In 1981, Director DeMarco hired Greg Bott as the first, full-time Superintendent of Parks.

With Ed Demarco’s encouragement and cooperation, the Plainfield Park District played an active role in the creation of PlainfieldFest.  Conceived by Mary Alice Lambert, PlainfieldFest was begun in 1982 under the sponsorship of the Plainfield Commerce Association (now, the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce).

The Foens Years

With Ed DeMarco’s departure in 1983, the park district was faced with the task of hiring a new Parks and Recreation Director to manage the staff which, then, consisted of four full-time employees.  John Foens was hired as the new director in 1983, serving in that role for two years.

Under John Foens’ leadership, the park district continued to grow during the difficult economic times of the early 1980s. 

Foens is credited with improving park district relationships with both the village and the school district.  Also, Foens was responsible for developing better communication with local residents; instituting a professional approach to the operation of the community swimming pool; and forming a soccer group (which has evolved into the Plainfield Soccer Association). 

The Park District not only supported the enhancement of PlainfieldFest, but Foens also stepped up to co-chair the event in 1985.

Although John Foens leadership resulted in many significant improvements, the economic challenges during his tenure thwarted his goals of developing a community golf course and airport.

The Bott Years

With John Foens’ departure, the district’s superintendent of parks , Greg Bott, was tapped to fill the role of Parks and Recreation Director in 1985. 

Beginning with 5 full-time employees, the park district staff has grown, under Bott, to 40 full-time employees and approximately 250 seasonal employees as the District’s services aspire to meet community requests.

In addition to the continued development of community and neighborhood parks as well as expanded programming for all ages, the Plainfield Park District also assumed operation of PlainfieldFest from 1989 thru 2008.  Fireworks—originally incorporated into the Sunday evening activities of “the Fest”—have evolved into the annual Patriotic Picnic each July.

Reflecting on the growth of the Plainfield Township Park District recently, Greg Bott noted many accomplishments in the past 45 years. 

Director Bott noted that the township district has grown to also serve residents in portions of Wheatland and Na-Au-Say Township.  In spite of a difficult financial environment, neighborhood parks have been established within a walkable distance from most homes.  Growth has been managed in a sustained manner to assure that no parks were closed and no employees were laid-off.  Key parcels have been acquired for present-day and future parks.  Programming—particularly for seniors and early childhood residents—has continually expanded.  In response to community requests, athletic facilities and biking trails continue to be developed.

Throughout Bott’s tenure, he appreciated the park district commissioners’ dedication to the community.  Bott noted that Commissioners Terry Russell and John Wilson served the district for 30 years while Commissioners “Fritz” Hagerman and Robert Anderson each served 24 years. Director Bott was hired by a board that included the first female commissioner; Bott saw the election of the district’s first female Board President, Michelle Kelly.

New Chapters

As Greg Bott prepares for his retirement, he identified uncompleted projects that will, likely, shape the next chapters of the Park District’s history.  Some of those unwritten chapters may include the completion of the DuPage River Bike Trail, a community recreational center, and the development of the Ridge Road Sports Complex.

But, that history waits to be written.

A Personal Note About This Column 

After a 16-month run and despite the loyal readership of “A Town Called Plainfield,” this is the last installment for this local-interest feature.  It is hard to believe that I have shared some 50 stories of our community’s interesting history through more than 60 installments of this featured column! 

As this chapter comes to a close, I extend my deepest appreciation—for their encouragement and support—to local Plainfield Patch Editor Shannon Antinori and her predecessor, Karen Sorenson, who conceived the idea for this feature column. 

While new opportunities are ever-present, I am disappointed that columns that are “in the works” will not be published here for you to enjoy.  Stories behind the names of area roadways, the history of our first post offices, and highlights of early Village Presidents will have to wait for another venue. 

I have attempted to highlight Plainfield’s historic connections to a variety of national events.  I have appreciated the positive support as well as the critics…but, most importantly, those who have shared unknown details with me.  My efforts—on behalf of the Plainfield community— have garnered the interest of historians nationwide as well as the attention of media, museums and tourists.  Not only have I enjoyed sharing these Plainfield stories with you, but I enjoy the many new local friendships established as a result of writing this column.  Most unexpected have been the regular inquiries from faithful readers across the nation—and as far away as the United Kingdom!  I never could have anticipated such a far-reaching audience.

I am encouraged that such a widespread audience is curious about the history of “A Town Called Plainfield.”  So –in some manner—I will continue to share those stories of interest with you. 

Thank you, readers, for allowing me to share these Plainfield stories with you.