PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHBROOK PARK DISTRICT
CONSERVATION
Environmental stewardship was at the forefront of the Techny Prairie Activity Center construction project.
Sustainable Construction Decisions A natural solution for the Northbrook Park District By Joan Scovic
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t is not often that park and recreation agencies bring two multimilliondollar capital projects to fruition in the same decade, let alone the same year. The Northbrook Park District, located in Northbrook, Illinois, experienced this perfect storm in 2021 with the construction of Techny Prairie Activity Center, as well as course renovations and a new clubhouse at Heritage Oaks Golf Club. Through a Comprehensive Master Plan process conducted in 2016, several priorities for investment were identified based on community input, inventory and analysis comparisons to state and national standards, demographics and financial capabilities. This process launched an initiative called New Places to Play. Both projects were designed using sustainable practices, upholding the park district’s
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Parks & Recreation
overall mission to enhance the community by providing outstanding services, parks and facilities through environmental, social and financial stewardship.
Techny Prairie Activity Center Techny Prairie Activity Center (TPAC), a 44,200-square-foot net zero energy building, opened to the public in January 2021. This state-of-the-art facility, lo-
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cated in Techny Prairie Park and Fields, offers sweeping views of the surrounding prairie. Users are immersed in nature and open space while experiencing a futureforward highly efficient facility. TPAC offers a fitness floor with cardio and strength training equipment, group fitness studios, an indoor track, a gymnasium, a multipurpose room and office space. Environmental stewardship was at the forefront of this project from its inception. This six-acre property, acquired in 2011, required extensive remediation efforts to remove pollutants. The site’s former factory was demolished, and bricks and metal elements were dismantled and recycled. Following these efforts, the park district received
