Heritage Park in Homer Glen would offer a vibrant park space inviting people to explore and offering a little something for everyone, a designer told village officials Wednesday.

The Homer Glen Village Board enlisted the help of The Lakota Group, a Chicago-based urban design, planning and landscape architecture firm, to update its master plan for its 103-acre Heritage Park, which already includes amenities such as pickleball, tennis and volleyball courts, a fitness course and playground.

The village has worked for years to add amenities to its destination park, a former golf course located behind Village Hall, 14240 W. 151st St., but projects stopped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, officials felt the original plans did not fit with the village’s needs and vision and they wanted to update the master plan to finish designing the undeveloped areas.

“You have an awesome asset out here,” said Kevin Clark, principal and director of design with The Lakota Group.

The updated plan includes an amphitheater, a veterans memorial with a water feature, a pavilion, soccer field, landscaping and native plants and prairie.

While some of these features were in the original design, they have been altered or moved to take advantage of existing infrastructure, such as water and sewer lines, to be more cost effective and minimize disrupting existing areas during construction, said Trustee Rose Reynders, chair of the board’s Parks and Recreation Committee.

Reynders said village officials have listened to what residents want for the park.

“Times have changed. People’s visions have changed,” she said. “This is something that we feel very strongly about. We’ve listened to the residents. We’ve listened to our veterans. We’ve taken all that into consideration in putting this revision together. I believe this revision will be great for our park.”

Community events such as Homer Fest, Homer for the Holidays, Trunk or Treat, outdoor movie nights and the kite festival have become more popular, Reynders said. The village continues to expand activities, with fishing derbies, a parade and family fun days.

The veterans memorial with a water feature and pavilion would be near a parking lot and bathrooms. Water provides a calming and serene quality and will be a place of solace for area veterans, Reynders said. The nearby pavilion will offer shade and seating for more than 100 people and could be used for veterans events.

The amphitheater could be used for concerts and movie nights. Reynders also said the demand for soccer has exploded.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Reynders said.

Reynders said The Lakota Group is well respected and has developed master plans for Harmony Square in Tinley Park and Village Green in Bourbonnais, which include a stage and other features.

Village documents estimate the total cost of all new amenities is just under $13.2 million.

The village is setting up a nonprofit fundraising organization to allow corporations or residents to make donations or sponsor park improvements. The foundation would work with a grant writer to try and take advantage of potential funding opportunities, Reynders said.

“This is going to be a great revenue source for us,” she said.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.