WB_011719

10 | January 17, 2019 | The wilmette beacon NEWS
wilmettebeacon.com
Plan for revitalized Kenilworth Village House excites residents
Alexa Burnell
Freelance Reporter
Recent talks of an initiative
to revitalize the
historic Village House in
Kenilworth has led to a
community-wide buzz,
giving every residents
from tiny tots to grandparents
and everyone inbetween,
the chance to be
part of this exciting endeavor.
The initiative is a collaboration
between the Joseph
Sears School District and
the Kenilworth Park District,
both who recognize
that working together is
the key to making changes
that benefit all.
“When we started to
discuss this project a few
years ago we bounced
around many ideas, coming
to the final conclusion
to preserve the history of
the building, using it as it
was originally intendedfor
youth and community
programming. Our current
goals are to stay with that
theme, making updates
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that compliment the world
we live in today,” said
John Hart, Park District
Board Member and lifelong
Kenilworth resident.
“By collaborating with
the school district, we are
better able to make the Village
House a place for all
to feel invested and welcomed.”
“When we conceptualized
the Village House
project with the Park District
two years ago, we
envisioned the creation
of a state-of-the-art recreational
space that would
enhance our educational
programming and afford
our resident taxpayers with
a beautiful community
center, unlike anything on
the North Shore,” said Dr.
Crystal LeRoy, District 38
Superintendent.
“We felt that our partnership
and collaboration
with the Park District on
this project would not only
lead to the best possible
outcome for our students,
but would do so in a way
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(left to right) Meredith Sullivan, Marjorie Bransfield and
Sarah Halack.
that most effectively utilized
the resources that
we were entrusted with
by our community. We are
extremely pleased with
the direction in which the
project is headed and we
are thankful that our community
has been supportive
of our efforts to this
point.”
To give a little history,
the Village House, which
sits behind Joseph Sears
School was constructed in
1964, providing space for
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts,
the growing Sears student
body and modest community
events. The building
has remained untouched
since that time, in need of
upgrading. The benefits to
Sears include: a high-tech
multipurpose room for
STEM studies; increased
space for a broadcasting
studio for students and
additional gym space,
just to name a few. Some
examples of the benefits
for the entire community
include: indoor recreation
space, currently non-existent
in Kenilworth; availability
seven-days a week;
increased communitywide
programming and
increased revenue for the
Park District.
Hart explained that the
committee will not seek
a referendum and has no
interest in raising taxes to
see this project through.
Instead, they are looking
to build excitement by
reaching out to residents,
raising funds on a grass
roots level.
Along with revitalizing
the Village House,
the committee will look
to make improvements to
the surrounding area, such
as redefining the border of
the Green Bay Trail which
currently cut onto school
property. In addition, the
committee will look at
widening Cumnor street to
provide a new entry point
to the building.
Hart recognizes that
the topic is multifaceted,
which is why he enlisted
the help of two, community-focused,
passionate
residents, Cathy Bell-Bartholomay
and Julie Ruck
to spearhead conversations
within the neighborhood
and to co-chair a benefit
and other fundraising efforts.
“I take-on this role with
great pride,” Bell -Bartholomay
said. “Our goal
is to bring information to
the streets, being clear and
transparent. We are currently
presenting the information
to various organizations,
going door to door,
Dr. Lisa Leali (left), chief education officer of Kenilworth
School District 38, meets with Dr. LeViis Haney, interim
principal, Dr. Crystal LeRoy, superintendent, Zuica
Doney, director of student services, and Chike Erokwu,
communications coordinator. Photos submitted
and hosting impromptu,
casual meetings, hoping
to give our insights, while
learning more about what
the community envisions.
We don’t want anyone to
feel they weren’t part of
this mission; I truly believe
that we thrive when
we work together.”
Along with the current
grass roots efforts, Ruck is
in the process of creating
an inspiring, informative
document that will be delivered,
via the Kenilworth
Boy Scouts, to every home
in Kenilworth in January.
The hope is that everyone
will receive the same piece
of information, on nearly
the same day, upping the
conversation. From January
to April, the committee
plans to be in fund raising
and awareness mode.
By May, the committee
is already gearing- up for
a community-wide benefit,
which will be held in lieu
of the annual Joseph Sears
benefit. The goal is to
make the event inclusive
of all, regardless if they
have a student at Sears or
not. The final hope is to
break ground by spring of
2020.
For Ruck, being part of
this initiative reflects her
belief in giving back to her
community, while teaching
her children that when
a Village comes together,
great things can happen.
“I picture a cold winter
day in the future at the
new Village House where
I see my high schoolaged
daughter working
alongside friends on
projects in the proposed
STEM room. I see myself
running into my neighbor’s
college-aged son
who is home from break,
playing a game of basketball
with fellow Sears
alumni. I envision hearing
laughter from a mom
and tot group, meeting in
the proposed multipurpose
room,” Ruck shared.
“Essentially, what I see is
a place for more friendships
to blossom, where
everyone from book
club members to middle
schoolers can spend time
with one another, in a
shared community space.
A new Village House will
benefit everyone; I hope
that more members of the
community become involved
and share in our
excitement to make this
vision a new reality.”