One hour into their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, the Hinsdale Board of Trustees discussed the 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM paddle curfew proposed by Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso. Once again about two dozen Hinsdale paddle players were in attendance to listen to their elected officials. They found the Board of Trustees virtually united in a reluctance to have Hinsdale parks policy be determined by remote control.
The attempt to impose a curfew at Katherine Legge Memorial Park follows a recent success for Mayor Grasso (pictured grinning) in imposing martial law over Willowbrook Community Park. But the effort to control Hinsdale has been met with fierce resistance. "It's classic Hinsdale arrogance", explained Lee Marcheschi of 700 Gregford Road to the Suburban Life storyteller who overheard that three million Burr Ridge residents attended the meeting. SuburbanLifeFrontPage.doc
Hinsdale President Woerner opened up the paddle topic by reading a list of seven measures to be taken to molify the three Burr Ridge residents who had complained last week. The seven new measures to be taken by Hinsdale are as follows:
(1) Increase police patrols at KLM to enforce limits on lights, noise, and alchohol use.
(2) Review of lighting system.
(3) Replacement of lost trees and addition of more trees on the east.
(4) Construction of a giant berm and tree line on the south lot line.
(5) Use of the automatic timers to override light switch.
(6) Requirement for deposit that's forfeited for rules violations.
(7) Installation of many, many signs.
It turns out that only three residents of Burr Ridge responded to the 150 invitations mailed by the Village of Hinsdale and none could return for a second meeting. One other Burr Ridge resident did turn up Tuesday night and shared his thoughts. The remaining 146 appear to be unclear why the concept of adults using a park for sports is so unpopular in their 'hood. Computer scientists at Google Labs suggested that the reason might be that sounds from KLM might be overpowered for many Laurie Lane residents by Hinsdale's other oasis.
Hinsdale's multitude of efforts will come at a cost, though. The initial estimates for Hinsdale's actions have a berm, trees, and windscreens running about $25,000. Woerner said that if this latest intiatives do not satisfy Burr Ridge, then Hinsdale would keep throwing money at the problem until it was solved. (I'm not making that up).
