At their respective meetings last week, the Highland Park City Council and Park District Board of Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining the long-term future of the Highland Park Country Club (HPCC). Included in the MOU is the sale of the HPCC golf course property from the City to the Park District. The Park District will pay the City $500,010 for the property and the sale is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. The Park District will cease golf operations at the HPCC in 2018 as the Park District commences plans to transition the golf course property into a passive recreation natural area. The Park District will continue to oversee banquet operations and meeting room rentals at the HPCC. The Park District will oversee those operations through a third-party banquet management firm. The Park District will also manage on-going operations at the Learning Center including the driving range and miniature golf course.
Pursuant to the MOU, the City will retain ownership of the HPCC building and the Learning Center property.
A provision in the MOU allows a first right of refusal for the adjacent Legacy Club Homeowners Association to purchase the property abutting the club for $10.00. That land includes what is commonly referred to as holes four, five, and six of the HPCC golf course. If the Association elects not to acquire the land, the parcels will revert to the Park District.
In keeping with the Park District’s long-term plan for GreenPrint 2024 and meeting the Highland Park community’s desire for additional outdoor and passive recreation opportunities the Park District will transition the golf course property into a passive recreational open space. Planning for the project will take place in 2018 with an expected completion in 2019.
“This MOU is a wonderful example of how two governmental bodies can work together to address the needs of the community for generations to come,” said Brian Kaplan, President of the Park District Board of Commissioners. “It is a rare opportunity for any community to have a large beautiful natural area right in the center of town for all to enjoy. We are truly grateful to have that opportunity to build such a place on the Highland Park Country Club golf course property.”
Earlier this year, following the Park District’s proposal to convert the golf course to passive recreation, the City announced that it was considering relocating the Highland Park Senior Center and Youth Services Division to the HPCC building as part of a project which explored the possible expansion of the Highland Park Public Library and relocation of the City’s Youth Services programs to the Library or another location. The Senior Center needs assessment findings, conceptual designs, and preliminary cost estimates were presented by Williams Architects, who was retained by the City and Library, to conduct the analysis and conceptual designs, at a joint public meeting between the City Council and the Library Board of Trustees on December 11, 2017. The City will be evaluating its capital projects in early 2018 to determine the timing for various facility improvement projects being evaluated by the City including the Senior Center and Youth Services Division relocation to the HPCC building.
“Through extensive public input and analysis, coupled with a strong partnership with our colleagues, the City and Park District have entered into an MOU that responsibly meets the needs of the entire community,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering. “The City’s core priorities of public safety, infrastructure investment, fiscal responsibility, and community vibrancy guided our decision making and will serve as the basis for future decisions at the HPCC and Library campus.”