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Riverside trustees approve Blythe Park playground plans, require edge detail to avoid raised curb or fence
Summary
Trustees approved School District 96’s Blythe Park playground design on condition that district and village engineers finalize an edge detail that avoids a raised curb and railing to protect trees and preserve open play, after residents and staff urged alternatives to a perimeter fence.
Trustees on the Village of Riverside Board approved the final plans for the Blythe Park playground on Nov. 20, 2025, contingent on revisions to the playground edge detail that eliminate a raised curb and railing.
The project, presented by Ryan Kelly of DLA Architects and developed under an intergovernmental agreement with School District 96, would expand the playground footprint by about 300 square feet to create separate play zones for children ages 2–5 and 5–12, increase accessibility and roughly double the site’s capacity to about 135 children. Kelly described a revised design that keeps excavation inside the playground footprint to protect large, mature trees and their root structures.
Community members and trustees raised concerns about a proposed raised concrete curb—ranging in sketches from about 6 to 15 inches—that the design team said is intended to control erosion. The curb, at higher heights, creates a tripping hazard the architect said could be addressed by adding a perimeter railing or fence. Several speakers, including former school board member Joel Marhall, opposed a fence, saying it would constrain informal play and that the village historically avoids fences in open park spaces. Public Works Director Dan Tabb and village engineers proposed an alternative cross‑section that raises the play surface slightly with mulch and feathered cobble to achieve drainage while minimizing root compaction.
President Pollock moved to approve the final plans subject to District 96 and village engineers agreeing on an edge detail that would eliminate a raised curb and railing. The motion was seconded, and Clerk Stenzel recorded aye votes from Trustees Marchaszka, Fitzgerald, Galligan, Oteo/Mateo and Evans. Architect Ryan Kelly agreed to work with the village engineering team to establish priorities, placing tree preservation first.
If the district and village engineers cannot agree on the alternate edge detail, the matter will be returned to the Board for further action.
The playground construction is expected to proceed next spring if the parties reach the required design agreement.
