If Cubs announcer Harry Caray were announcing a play by play of the gleeful screams and giggles of children climbing the rocket ship at Sunset Park, he might say:
”They`re here from Chicago; they`re here from Wilmette.”
So popular is the 38-acre park that many of the parents who pack the kids into the car for the trip came here as toddlers themselves.
In 1957, Norman Lubarsky of Wilmette brought his children to Sunset Park for the first time. Lubarsky`s children grew up and were in the park with their own children and parents over the weekend.
”What I like about the park is there are ships and especially the rocket, `cause you can go so high, and you can have picnics,” said Lubarsky`s grandchild Adam Falkof, 6, also of Wilmette. His brother, Adam, 5, added,
”The best thing about this park is you can do all sorts of things.”
Out of the mouths of babes.
Beneath the dense oaks and maple trees are separate play areas: a tot lot, preschool area and several sections for elementary-age children. Intertwined around the slides, merry-go-round and swings are picnic tables beckoning for checked tablecloths. And that`s just for starters.
In the open areas are seven outdoor tennis courts, three softball fields, two basketball courts and one football/soccer field. A fitness course and nearly a mile of jogging trail run through the trees and bushes.
”You don`t find parks with that many mature trees and that are that beautiful,” said Jim Lange, superintendent of recreational services for the Park District in Highland Park. ”It just gives you a wonderful feeling to walk in the park. It`s invigorating. That`s my idea of what a park should be.”
Many young visitors refer to Sunset Park as ”Rocket Ship Park” for the signature steel rocket ship structure kids climb through at the west end of the park.
Perhaps it`s so named because it`s out of this world.
