Gilbert Park

Description

This active neighborhood park is located at the western end of Gilbert Avenue and was developed on the site of a former quarry adjacent to Maple Grove Forest Preserve.Named for the street on which it is located, Gilbert Park was acquired from the Village of Downers Grove in 1948 and has been a part of the Park District ever since (some residents believe it is named for an early resident, Norman Gilbert, but no official records of this exists). The beautiful limestone park shelter is believed to have been constructed in 1941, and the small restroom building was added by the Park District in 1949.

For most of its history, Gilbert Park has included a baseball field and has hosted many games over the years. In the 1980's, it went through a series of improvements that included new playground equipment, shelter renovations, field lighting, additional storage, fencing and landscaping improvements. The high-quality lighted baseball field sits within a depression, giving the appearance of a natural amphitheater and allowing stadium-style spectator seating.

A 2-12 age play playground is situated in the southeast corner of the park along with a full-size basketball court, restroom building and a park shelter with limestone columns. The land rises sharply toward the west of the site, and the resulting hill is used for sledding on an informal basis.The paved walking path passing through the park also connects to a wood-chip trail leading into the Forest Preserve, to a pedestrian bridge over St. Joseph’s Creek. The adjacent Forest Preserve and creek provides for an attractive, rustic setting to this popular park.

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