Beach Park renaming Geo-Karis Park - Chicago Sun-Times

Officials both past and present plan to gather Saturday at 10 a.m. at Geo-Karis Park, 10385 Beach Road, for a renaming ceremony. The new name of the park will be Founders Park.

"I think it's a good gesture to honor those that helped form the village. And there's been such confusion with the name of the park," said Trustee Mark Ottersen, noting the idea has been talked about for several years.

There have been some complaints with the name, he said, especially from out-of-towners unfamiliar with the area. "People coming here would sometimes end up at the state park," said Ottersen.

Illinois Beach State Park in Zion renamed part of the park "Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park" after Beach Park named its park in her honor when it opened in 2004.

Geo-Karis, a former Illinois state senator and Zion mayor, died in died in 2008. She was instrumental in helping Beach Park obtain grants to buy the first village park in Beach Park.

On Thursday, the new sign was already installed. Below the Founders Park sign is to be another sign noting that the park was formerly named Geo-Karis Park.

A brass plaque in front of the flag pole at the park has the name of the first mayor of the Beach Park, Dr. H. James Solomon.

Another plaque with the many names of the other founders may also be installed at some point, said officials. The village was founded May 22, 1989, after about three years of working on the incorporation, said clerk Laurie Cvengros.

"Adeline was very helpful to us. She was very gracious, but we also had a lot of people who put their heart and soul into this village, and some have passed away, and we want them to be recognized," said Mayor Milt Jensen.

"We don't really have any other place like that to do this. I think a park is a great place to recognize people," Trustee John Hucker said. "Twenty or 30 years from now, some kid might see his grandparents' name on the plaque and be proud of that."

"We mean no disrespect to Geo. She was instrumental in obtaining the original grant. But the park was just grass at that time. It was (Trustee) Richard Gust that went to Springfield several times to get the OSLAD (Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to develop the park," said Ottersen.

The 50/50 grant helped the village build a basketball court, tennis court and a softball diamond, among other initial amenities at the park, said Gust, noting he traveled to the state capitol two times before the grant was awarded.

"We don't have anything else honoring the people who got it together. Beach Park wouldn't exist if it weren't for those people," said Ottersen.

24 Sep, 2011

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