The Niles Park District is celebrating the grand opening of its fully renovated Golf Mill Park from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday
According to a news release, the public is invited to join Park District and Village of Niles officials at the park, located at Church Street and Cumberland Avenue, for a morning of ceremony and family-friendly festivities marking the completion of a $3.5 million renovation project.
Formal remarks will begin at 10:15 a.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. with members of the Park District Board of Commissioners and Village officials, the release said. Attendees can stay to tour the newly upgraded park and enjoy complimentary ice cream, kids’ giveaways, and a face painter — all while taking in the results of one of the most significant improvements in the park’s history.
The $3.5 million renovation was supported in part by a $1.2 million grant through the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, more than a third of the project’s total cost, according to the release. The renovation transformed Golf Mill Park into a modern, multi-use recreational destination. Improvements include new pickleball courts, resurfaced tennis and basketball courts, a soccer field with new artificial turf and improved drainage, expanded walking paths, a larger playground, a picnic shelter, a dedicated seating area, game tables, baggo courts, and a fitness station.
“This is what the Niles Park District does — we bring fun to life for families across our community,” Jim Hynes, President of the Niles Park District Board of Commissioners, said in the release. “Golf Mill Park has been a gathering place for Niles families for generations, and this renovation ensures it will be for generations to come. The Park District is proud to make this kind of investment in our community’s quality of life — and we’re grateful to the State of Illinois for partnering with us through the OSLAD program to make it possible.”
The OSLAD program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, provides grants to units of local government for acquiring and developing land for public open space, the release said. Golf Mill Park’s selection for OSLAD funding — covering more than a third of the project’s total cost — reflects the scope of the renovation and its significance to the Niles community.
The grand opening is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. Ice cream and kids’ giveaways will be available while supplies last.
