The Downers Grove Park District cuts the ribbon Monday, Aug. 3 on a $2 million playground renovation at McCollum Park, capping a five-month construction project that replaced 20-year-old equipment with a three-story climbing tower, a 40-foot track ride, and a new preschool play area at one of the district's most heavily used parks.
The free celebration runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at 6801 Main St. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from Park Board President Craig Lundt and Executive Director Mike Gianatasio begin at 4:15 p.m., followed by free ice cream, bottled water, music, mini golf, lawn games, and a giveaway, according to the park district's project page.
What's new
The centerpiece for kids ages 5–12 is a PlayStax structure rising three stories, with ramps providing wheelchair access onto a portion of the tower. Alongside it: a Zoom Twist merry-go-round with climbing ropes, a dual-track 40-foot ride that lets two children race side by side (one track includes a high-back inclusive swing seat), and additional slides, spinners, and climbing features.
A separate preschool area for ages 2–5 includes a multi-slide play structure, a cooperative "Team Totter" see-saw, and two ground-level playhouses. One is shaped like a fire station, a nod to the neighboring Downers Grove Fire Station. The playground now has 12 swings total, two more than before.
A new 24-by-34-foot pavilion with an overlapping roof design anchors the playground zone, and the concrete curb that once surrounded the play area has been replaced with synthetic turf for better accessibility.
"During community input meetings, parents expressed a desire for more adventurous and engaging play experiences, which influenced the selection of the signature tower playground, track ride and other innovative play features," Dawn Hartman, the park district's director of marketing and community engagement, said in a July 30 Shaw Local report.
Fitness, courts, and what's still coming
The outdoor fitness area received new surfacing and Greenfields Outdoor Fitness equipment, including a rowing machine, elliptical cross trainer, lat pull, and vertical press. Baggo courts are open; horseshoe courts remain temporarily closed while new sod takes root.
Eight permanent pickleball courts will replace the center tennis courts beginning in August, with completion expected by the end of September. Park district staff observations during the summers of 2024 and 2025 found pickleball demand far outweighed tennis use on those courts. The conversion is a separate $125,000 capital project. Shade structures and resurfaced basketball courts are also part of the plan.
Funding and timeline
The playground renovation, the district's largest 2026 capital project, drew a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, announced by Gov. JB Pritzker in December 2024. Construction began in March 2026 after Kids Around the World staff and volunteers removed the old equipment. The playground, fitness area, and game courts opened to the public on July 17.
As we reported July 4, the renovation was tracking toward a mid-July finish.
Upcoming community events
- Tuesday, Aug. 4 — National Night Out events across Woodridge
- Thursday, Aug. 13 — Westmont public hearing on tobacco and liquor rules
- Saturday, Aug. 15 — Woodridge Duck Dash
