Work on the Bourbonnais Township Park District’s future master plan was discussed during Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

Park District Executive Director Mike O’Shea stated that the current master plan is in effect through April 2027. It was approved in November 2021.

None of the current commissioners were on the board at that time.

Board President Dave Zinanni said that was done for $45,000.

When selecting a new executive director, Zinanni said he wanted that person to lead the way.

“I wanted that [new] director to do our comprehensive plan because there’s no sense in spending $45,000 plus for [a company] to come in – a company that builds things – and tell you you need an assessment or a survey for a pool or something [else big],” Zinanni said.

The new master plan will be done internally by O’Shea and park district staff.

O’Shea said this is to start the conversation and discussion of a new master plan.

“The plan is – by this time next year, December of 2026, it will be fully done and have us approve it,” O’Shea said. “It will be a plan that takes us into 2031.”

Like the current master plan, the new one will have input from the community and local organizations.

A master plan is a guide of general future goals and possible capital improvements, O’Shea said.

“It is a plan that we’ve all been a part of – a plan that will work for us over the next five years,” he said.

Updating rooms in the Exploration Station and adding equipment for recreational use at Perry Farm Park were two projects included in the current master plan.

The new plan will have a history background section, a survey of residents and an inventory of park facilities and equipment.

“We’re going to do a survey part, which we’ll internally send out to our residents,” O’Shea said, adding that the park district already surveyed the recreation side.

“That recreation one was more for programming, like what programs do you like and what don’t you like, and if you haven’t come, why not,” he said.