Could renaming the Wallace Bowl enable its restoration? Park officials are looking into it.

A lengthy naming-rights deal could pave the way for the needed funding necessary to move forward with long-anticipated renovations to a signature space in Wilmette’s Gillson Park.

Wilmette Park District commissioners during a late June Committee of the Whole meeting discussed the possibility of a naming rights donation agreement as means to gather funds for the restoration of the Wallace Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater dating back to the 1940s.

During the session, commissioners reached a consensus that any agreement to rename the Wallace Bowl would need to include a donation to cover a majority of the estimated costs for needed repairs, according to a park district memo. Any agreement would likely cover a 40-year term, the memo also says.

Park district officials in September of last year said improvements at the outdoor venue had been the focus of Ouilmette Foundation fundraising for about a year, but a feasibility study shows the campaign likely will not reach the extensive cost of the project, The Record reported.

Goals for restoring the Wallace Bowl include enhancing accessibility, aesthetics and overall functionality, JP McNamara, the park district’s marketing and communications manager, told The Record via email.

Targeted restoration work would include “leveling paths and walking surfaces, replacing benches with higher-quality materials, and removing invasive landscaping,” McNamara said.

The district also sees “opportunities to add ADA-compliant seating, install handrails, and improve lighting and sound systems to better serve both park users and surrounding neighbors,” he added.

“These upgrades will preserve the historic character of the Wallace Bowl while improving safety and accessibility for those of all ages and abilities,” reads a presentation deck from the Ouilmette Foundation. “The revitalized amphitheater will continue to serve as a vibrant, accessible space for arts, culture, and community engagement in Wilmette for decades to come.”

Park officials in 2023 received an estimate of more than $3 million for the slated work at the Wallace Bowl, according to district records. McNamara recently told The Record that work is still expected to range between $3-$4 million.

McNamara also added that there is not a current target cost number for the project. The Park Board would first need to determine the precise scope of the full project, then would need to get updated estimates to better understand the current costs, he said, adding “from there, a number would be determined.”

The Wallace Bowl, originally called the Wilmette Outdoor Amphitheater, opened in 1946 and was dedicated to Gordon Wallace, superintendent of Wilmette parks from 1936-1968. In 1982, the Wallace Bowl was in a deteriorating condition, and the Ouilmette Foundation was formed to raise funds for repairs and expansions.

Today, the amphitheater hosts the Sounds of Summer concert series each year, as well as family movie nights and theater performances. It is also a popular venue during the town’s Independence Day festivities.

The Ouilmette Foundation since 2014 has supported the park district’s annual scholarship fund and other projects. The foundation then in 2023 was tapped to see if it could help with the latest round of needed restoration work at the Wallace Bowl, The Record reported.

Park officials said the foundation has attempted several ways to gain funding for the project and had recently become open to the possibility of the naming-rights avenue to gain the funds. The discussion during the June meeting was a conversation for the board to offer feedback on renaming district assets.

Fundraising efforts would not necessarily need to cover the full slate of work, as McNamara said the park district would likely set funds aside to pay for portions of the project, but the district has “not determined the full scope of work or the donations available to us.”

Park commissioners are slated to have follow-up conversations with the foundation at a future committee meeting, according to a district memo.

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