[ GLEN ELLYN ]

The construction fence surrounding the Lake Ellyn Boathouse has become a common sight for Glenbard West sophomore Ann McKeown as she walks to school every day.

The fence was installed in early September in advance of a $2.9 million project to restore the historic boathouse, built in 1937 as a Works Progress Administration project. The WPA program was a federal assistance program designed to put unemployed Americans back to work during the Great Depression.

McKeown said she was glad to see the project begin this week. The project is set for completion by late June 2016.

“I think it’s good,” she said. “I feel like the boathouse could be used a lot more than it is used now.”

Upgrading Lake Ellyn Park and the boathouse was identified as a top priority for the Glen Ellyn Park District in a 2012 community survey. The project includes replacement of the boathouse’s roof and the addition of a flood protection wall.

Landscape enhancements and the installation of a stand-alone restroom near the park’s playground also are part of the project.

Glen Ellyn Park District Executive Director Dave Harris said restoration of the boathouse is long overdue.

“There hasn’t been any significant renovation to the boathouse for years,” Harris said. “So it’s time to do something to it.”

The boathouse roof is past its useful life, he said.

“We considered replacing parts of it and repairing the roof, which would have extended the roof another eight years, but then in approximately eight to 10 years, we would have had to replace the entire roof,” Harris said. “So we made the decision at this point to replace the entire roof rather than patching it.”

A flood protection wall will be installed around the perimeter of the boathouse as part of the project. Harris said the area is prone to flooding.

“We didn’t want to make this investment into restoring the boathouse and then have it susceptible to flooding,” Harris said. “We wanted to protect it as well. That was the main priority.”

In conjunction with the project, the Park District also is working with the village to improve the stormwater management of Lake Ellyn, Harris said.

Although the boathouse won’t be accessible during the project, the nearby playground will still be accessible and residents will still be able to walk around the perimeter of the lake, he said.

Lake Ellyn will also still be open for ice skating this winter if weather conditions prove favorable, Harris said.

Lake Ellyn Park is the most-used park the Glen Ellyn Park District operates. According to the 2012 community survey, Lake Ellyn Park is used by 70 percent of all Glen Ellyn Park District households, including Glen Ellyn resident Jack McMahon and his three children, who were at the park Sept. 29.

McMahon had some thoughts on why Lake Ellyn Park is so popular.

“I think everybody likes the scenery and the high school,” he said. “This is a great place for skating.”

Information about the project is available on the Park District's website, www.gepark.org,

See more online

Visit www.mysuburbanlife.com to watch a video associated with this story.