Lake Ellyn Park
The village of Glen Ellyn IL is blessed with many wonderful parks. But one stands out above the rest.
Lake Ellyn Park has been a popular recreation spot since its inception in 1919. A new playground opened this summer, replacing a decades-old structure. But there’s much more to explore at this remarkable park. You’ll be glad you read this!
The Park
This gorgeous park encloses an artificial lake built for the Hotel Glen Ellyn and has been an essential feature of the Village since its founding. On the west shore stands the Lake Ellyn Recreation House, a one-story frame building erected in 1937 as part of the Works Progress Administration. A patio with a low stone wall extends east and south of the building and provides access to a two-level wood dock.
In the early to mid-century, this park was expanded to include Ruth Candy Parkway and Judge Joseph Sam Perry Nature Preserve. It was further enhanced in the mid-to-late 1960s with the addition of the wood duck pond, playground, and clay tennis courts.
The lake is surrounded by paved and unpaved paths that provide plenty of places to stroll or run. It also features a few picnic tables and benches.
The Boathouse
The Boathouse, with its spectacular view of a pristine park lake and lush greenery, is a special place for weddings, parties, lunches, or simply strolling around the lake. In addition to its historical character, the Boathouse is an important part of the community’s identity as a west suburban village and distinguishes Glen Ellyn from surrounding communities.
The Village hired Farr Associates, working as a member of a Conservation Design Forum team, to develop a master plan for the rehabilitative restoration and expansion of the facility. This included a re-configuration of the interior space for year-round use, new outdoor community areas and landscapes, and restoration of historic features such as the vaulted ceiling beams and historic chimneys.
The project also includes permeable brick paver walks that cool and cleanse stormwater runoff before it is slowly released into the lake, eliminating the need for traditional detention ponds. Ornamental rain gardens provide natural flora and help reduce supplemental irrigation needs. This article is worth reading.
The Shoreline Path
The area west of the Lake Ellyn Recreation House features paved and unpaved pathways and is lined by mature native canopy trees. Benches and lamp posts are located throughout.
The east half of the park contains the 10-acre lake, which is surrounded by a non-historic chain link fence and used for fishing and non-motorized boating. A non-historic playground and two clay tennis courts are also on this side of the park, overlooking Essex Road.
Lake Ellyn Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities for the entire community, year-round. It is an ideal place for families to spend their leisure time and a beautiful location for weddings, graduations, or family picnics. In winter, the park serves as a very popular outdoor ice-skating venue. We came here on a frigid Saturday morning to skate and were able to enjoy the ice virtually all to ourselves. This is one of the best and most picturesque ice skating areas in Glen Ellyn.
The Lake
At a time when Chicago’s suburbs were little more than isolated, country estates and resort destinations, such as Glen Ellyn Park, provided an escape from the urban bustle. Hill developed his property into a resort, with mineral springs, an elegant hotel, and wooded grounds framing a lake.
The lake is a central feature of the park, which also includes a large playground, a walking path, and picnic areas. The 10-acre lake is surrounded by tall trees, making it a great spot to relax and enjoy nature.
The park’s recreational facilities include a one-story, frame Lake Ellyn Recreation House, built in 1937. The building’s west bank includes a patio with low stone walls. A small veterans memorial stands at the west end of the lake south of the recreation house. Other resources within the park include a small, gable-roof, frame public restroom facility built in 2016, and a set of clay tennis courts, originally built in 1924. Click here for more interesting articles.
Driving directions from SBS Waste Solutions to Lake Ellyn Park
Driving directions from Lake Ellyn Park to Sky Zone Trampoline Park
