Krape Park improvements focus on environment, community, safety

The Freeport Park District received an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 2014 to improve Krape Park. The Park District hired Fehr Graham to prepare plans for sanitary sewer improvements, restroom building construction, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) trails, trail extensions, and patio construction. The Park District also asked Fehr Graham to complete a report to highlight needs based on community feedback.

Our team helped secure funding and suggested breaking the project into two phases to help the Park District stay under budget. Krape Park has a waterfall with an observation deck and shelter, but the area was uneven and needed to be regraded. Our team extended the trail and paved the path to make it ADA-accessible. We designed a concrete patio to match the shelter and create a gathering space. Because the hill is steep, to meet ADA standards, our team designed a path in a zigzag pattern to reduce the slope.

Fehr Graham also assisted the Park District with sustainable solutions to streambank erosion and recreational path reconstruction. Our team used reinforcement mats, vegetation, and trees to stabilize banks and steep slopes in the park, especially where the paths were close to Yellow Creek. This helped reduce affected land. We also did this with the restroom renovations by directional boring 330 feet of sanitary sewer connections to avoid displacing grown trees between the restrooms and concession stands. This process helped preserve the mature trees and landscape.

AT A GLANCE
» Designed improvements to shelter.
» Planned ADA-compliant paths.
» Observed construction on restroom building.