The Community Park District of La Grange marked Arbor Day 2025 by planting two trees on the grounds of the former property of the Village Church United Church of Christ, 1150 N. Meadowcrest Ave.
“Arbor Day is very important to us,” Park District Executive Director Jessica Cannaday said just before rain soaked the small crowd present. “Part of our mission is to conserve open space and natural resources and Arbor Day is all about celebrating the importance and endurance of trees.”
The baby trees planted, one a chinkapin oak and the other a shagbark hickory, are both native to Illinois and support the ecosystem.
“Oak trees in particular are what we call cornerstone species,” Sara Earhart, Park District arborist, said. “Oak trees support more than 500 species of animals and insects. Similarly, the shagbark hickory, being native, supports many of our native wildlife species.”
Earhart said of the more than 500 species supported by the trees are familiar fauna like “butterflies, beetle, squirrels, birds and all kinds of different fungi.”
The Park Board voted unanimously Feb. 10 to purchase the Village Church property for $700,000 to create what will be the first new public park in the village since the opening of Hanesworth Park in 1978.
It was made possible, in part, by a grant of $342,500 from the Land Water Conservation Fund from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
The terms of the grant mandate the Park District make necessary improvements within three years to turn the 0.86 acre property into a “passive park,” without athletic facilities for soccer, baseball or basketball. The focus will be on walking paths, natural elements and the conservation of open space.
The church is scheduled for demolition sometime in the second year of the development. While much of the work on the facility will be done in-house with Park District employees, other costs will he covered by capital funding and program fees.
Arbor Day originated in 1872 and was the brainchild of newspaper editor J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska.
In order to promote awareness of the importance of trees, he proposed a tree-planting holiday, to be named Arbor Day, which resulted in about 1 million trees being planted in the Nebraska Territory that year.
The Arbor Day Foundation’s official national celebration is the last Friday in April, but various states often mark the day in different months.
La Grange Park has been recognized by the foundation as a Tree City for 34 years. In order to be given that honor, a town must meet four criteria: have a tree board or department; have a tree care ordinance; spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry; and celebrate Arbor Day.
Cannaday credited several members of the community with making the new park a reality.
“I want to send a heartfelt thank you to the Village Church congregation for seeing the potential of this place as a sanctuary, not just for quiet moments, but for community connection,” she said. “For the residents of La Grange Park, thank you for your voices, your feedback and your overwhelming support during the public input process. Your passion for preserving green space is what brought this vision to light.”
Park Board President Bob Corte joined the event and praised Earhart’s work as arborist.
“I can’t keep up with the number of trees she plants,” Corte said. “Today’s a special day because she wouldn’t tell anybody what trees she’s planting, so it was a secret. They have a vision for how they’re going to make the park, and it’s going to be really nice.”
The Village Church is in the process of moving its services to St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. Village Church pastor, the Rev. Mark Jargstorf, acknowledged bittersweet feelings.
“This is in some ways an emotional day for members of the Village Church who have been here for 67 years,” he said before offering a prayer. “So there is some sadness that comes with that.
Village President James Discipio was happy with the event.
“It’s phenomenal, the Park District has done a great thing by securing this property,” Discipio said.
Village Trustee Mike Sheehan lives just down the street and helped with planting the trees and praised park officials for their work.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
