The DeKalb Park District Board of Commissioners adopted a master plan recently to help guide planning efforts, meant to improve the experience at Prairie Park.

A 5-0 vote greenlit next steps to upgrade the park at 401 Clifford Drive in DeKalb. The district also intends to seek state funding that could cover up to $400,000, or 50%, of project costs through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, park board documents show.

Maria Blood, principal landscape architect for Upland Design, briefed the board on the grant proposal.

“We are going to wrap up our final documentation for the [Open Space Land Acquisition and Development] grant that is due at the end of the month,” Blood said.

Blood said the park’s improvements could cost about $800,000. More details on project costs are expected to come before the board for review in November.

A public survey on the park showed DeKalb residents listed a desire for more natural areas as top priority. Among other resident wishes included a disc golf course, a new shelter, and a playground.

DeKalb resident Lynn Batalden was among a handful who spoke at a recent park board meeting. She said she thinks renovations are a good idea.

“My concerns with the development of the park are mostly that nature be considered, that there is someone who’s an expert in nature that is consulting on this project to make sure that it’s in more harmony,” Batalden said.

Amenities at the approximately 107-acre park currently include a disc golf course, some picnic tables and a walking trail.

The approved master plan would see installation of an expansion of the disc golf course, new picnic shelter, native prairie plantings, bird boxes, interpretative signage, and more.

The plan does not include a playground. Blood said that decision was based on public feedback.

Also not included in the park’s master plan is a bridge replacement.

Blood said that although a bridge replacement ranked high among residents, cost considerations for state funding came into play.

The district previously held two open houses to solicit feedback from residents about its plans for Prairie Park.

DeKalb City Clerk Bradley Hoey, who also is on the city’s community enhancement commission, attended the meeting and the second of two open houses to weigh in. He thanked district officials for soliciting public opinion.

“I love the natural essence of Prairie Park, and I always have,” Hoey said. “I think that that’s a great opportunity to do something maybe a little bit different than we’ve done with some of our other parks because of the natural topography and the natural access that are there in the park.”