Concepts, preliminary designs up next for Skokie Playfield campus plan

As the Winnetka Park District looks to complete a master plan for its primary recreation campus, Park Board commissioners recently heard an existing-conditions report, the first phase of a three-phased plan.

The Park Board at its most recent meeting on Aug. 27 heard from The Lakota Group representative Morgan Chapman on the outreach portion of the Skokie Playfield Campus Master Plan, which is currently in development.

“This is really setting the stage for our project,” Chapman said of the first phase, which consisted of going through existing conditions and speaking to stakeholders, which she said included park district staff, affiliate groups and residents.

The Skokie Playfield campus off Willow and Hibbard roads features multiple fields for sports and activities. The campus also includes Duke Childs Field, the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center, the Winnetka Ice Arena, and the Winnetka Park District administrative offices.

The Lakota Group reportedly collected stakeholder feedback in a variety of ways, such as pop-up events, open houses and online surveys. Chapman said the responses were consistent with each other regardless of how that feedback was obtained.

In the online survey, which Chapman said received 135 written responses, “data reinforced strong support for improved ice facilities, added aquatic and food and beverage amenities,” and other concerns that had been brought up by other stakeholder groups.

Parking and circulation was a repeated concern.

“Peak period parking demand creates overflow into adjacent streets and nearby lots,” Chapman said, noting that Lakota not only heard these concerns but also witnessed them firsthand. “School pickup and program dropoffs create reoccurring circulation bottlenecks.”

She added that there are “limited internal connections” that make it difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to move between facilities, and that improved signage could help improve those challenges.

Another finding that came up was that while respondents appreciated the facilities, Chapman said, they “lack a cohesive campus framework that limits their coordination.

“Several facilities have outdated or underutilized spaces that limit flexibility and program capacity, specifically within the golf clubhouse and the tennis gallery and tournament courts,” she said, adding that “future planning should prioritize reconfiguration, adaptability and stronger connection between the facilities on campus.”

She went on to say that the Skokie Playfield campus is “very highly activated” and that out of 420 available slots for programming 396, or 94%, were filled during the spring and fall 2025 seasons.

Reportedly, the most frequently available time was from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., coinciding with school hours.

Chapman also said that any projects would need to take stormwater management into consideration.

“The Skokie Playfields are located almost entirely within the FEMA Zone A floodplain,” she said, adding that detention and storage, plus floodproofing, would need to be a part of development conversations.

Commissioner Jeff Tyson asked about any surprises that came up during the process, and Chapman revealed that The Lakota Group had a productive conversation with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which owns property adjacent to the Skokie Playfield.

According to Chapman, the district is open to having a conversation about potentially working with the park district on flood mitigation. She added that there is a specific process that the park district would have to follow, but “that is a conversation they would be willing to have.”

“That was a positive find,” she added.

For next steps, Chapman said Lakota will create preliminary designs, which will then be displayed at open houses and during online surveys to receive community feedback. During this phase, the plans would be refined and preliminary costs would be determined.

That would lead into Phase 3, which Chapman said is planning and implementation.

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