As fall athletic teams throughout the LaGrange and Western Springs area begin their seasons, they will be unable, at least temporarily, to use facilities at Spring Rock Park in Western Springs.

Renovations of the parks’ major athletics field began July 28 and will likely continue for almost a full year, Craig Himmelmann Director of Parks for the Western Springs Park District said.

“When one or more of our fields are taken out of rotation for a year as this project is scheduled to do, there is a ripple effect through our community and the surrounding communities who all work to provide spaces for their affiliate groups, including LT, that in turn serve residents by providing sports programs,” Himmelmann said.

As of now, no sports teams at LT have been affected by the renovations at the park, but various travel soccer and lacrosse clubs will be affected.

The primary purpose of the current renovations is to improve the drainage system of the two main athletic fields at the park. This will be done by leveling and crowing the fields and installing a new irrigation system and slit sand channel trenches designed to improve the fields’ ability to handle rainwater.

Besides the drainage improvements, the footpath on the east side of the park along Central Avenue will be redone and moved to make room for a retaining wall that will be built along the eastern playing field.

The renovations, however inconvenient, are relatively commonplace, occurring approximately every 15 years, Himmelmann said.

“This maintenance project is part of our ongoing responsibility to provide safe, quality fields,” Himmelmann said. “In 2013 the Western Springs Park District conducted a community wide survey. A majority of the respondents identified a desire to see the fields rebuilt.”

In total, the renovations are estimated to cost $460,000.