Hinsdale finally has a shovel in the ground at Burlington Park.
Village President Greg Hart and local dignitaries broke ground Saturday, July 4, on a permanent pavilion at the park's west end, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence with a project Hart said has been discussed in the village for nearly two decades. The structure will cost $341,121.94 under a contract with Dave Knecht Homes, all of it privately funded.
"No village tax dollars are being used for the construction of this pavilion, and that is a remarkable thing," Hart said at the Village Board's first reading of the contract on Wednesday, July 1.
The pavilion is funded through a combination of large donations and cost reductions. Dave Knecht Homes originally submitted a bid of $653,933, but the final price dropped after owner Dave Knecht, a Hinsdale native, donated $85,296 from his own pocket. Resident James Bouchard contributed $100,000, and $127,515 in value-engineered savings brought the contract under the village's $350,000 target. Additional major donors include UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale Hospital and the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce. Total donations received already exceed the projected cost by $17,000.
Earlier bids from other firms were rejected in April for exceeding the budget. Those three proposals ranged from $350,000 to nearly $720,000.
Local architect Michael Abraham designed the pavilion pro bono to complement the Memorial Building's appearance, including a custom cupola that mimics the one atop the Memorial Building. Trustee Alexis Braden called that detail "a good differentiator in the bids." Trustee Scott Banke, also a Hinsdale native, said it mattered to him that the builder has roots in town.
The groundbreaking ceremony fell on the same day as Hinsdale's "4th for All" celebration and Fourth of July parade. Jim Slonoff spoke on behalf of the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, one of the project's major donors. State officials also attended, according to the Hinsdalean, though the village has not publicly identified them.
The village plans to use the pavilion for events including the Uniquely Thursdays summer concert series. Village Manager Kathleen Gargano said landscaping around the structure will follow completion, based on a larger park improvement plan already budgeted by the village. Hart suggested the $17,000 surplus in donations could cover those landscaping costs.
A community survey last fall showed 72 percent of respondents supported exploring the pavilion concept. A working group that included stakeholders from the Chamber, AdventHealth Hinsdale Hospital, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Village Board selected the final design.
What's next
Trustees have scheduled a second reading and final vote on the pavilion contract for their Tuesday, July 21, board meeting. If approved, construction would begin in late summer after the final Uniquely Thursdays concert of the season.
