Weston committee advances Kennedy Park renovation steps, recommends marketing contract and approves several naming-rights recommendations

The Weston Parks Committee met April 7 and advanced multiple implementation and fundraising steps for the Kennedy Park renovation, recommending a marketing contract to be managed by the Friends of Kennedy Park and approving several naming-rights requests to forward to the Village Board.

The committee acknowledged moving forward with architectural and structural services for Kennedy Park and recommended that a GoFull Nelson marketing engagement be routed to the Board of Trustees with the Friends of Kennedy Park as the contracting entity. Committee members also approved recommending to the Board that Field 5’s first light pole be named in honor of Braden Bone and that Field 4 be designated the Karen and Gary Rayjack Memorial Field in recognition of a family’s $500,000 commitment toward that field.

Why it matters: Kennedy Park is the village’s flagship park renovation, with a multi-field build-out, buildings, parking and restrooms planned. The committee’s decisions set design and procurement steps in motion, shape how fundraising will be managed and accept donor naming requests that will be visible to park users and tournament teams.

Most significant actions - Architectural and structural services: The committee acknowledged contracting structural services ($424,200) and architectural services ($5,000) to advance designs for three park buildings (northwest corner building, central concessions/restrooms, east shelter/restroom) and the retaining wall and dugouts on Field 5. The motion was moved by Corvino and seconded by Easter and was approved by voice vote. - Marketing/strategic-plan contract: The committee reviewed a…