The Grove is the place to be in Bourbonnais

BOURBONNAIS — Why not use history when you are naming a state-of-the-art facility that becomes your village’s largest park?

It especially worked well for Bourbonnais with the July opening of The Grove at Robert Goselin Park.

Way back in 1835, French-Canadian trapper Noel LeVasseur started a settlement named Bourbonnais Grove.

It worked well with the historic George R. Letourneau Home located across Stratford Drive East. Add the 1837 Log Schoolhouse and it gave officials what they needed to christen the park, The Grove.

And like back in the mid to late 1830s and 1840s, it attracts people.

The $18.2 million park has been a huge drawing card in the village since July when a majority of it opened to the public.

The project was financed by municipal bonds as well as money from the village’s three business districts and interest earned from the $32.1 million the village received selling its wastewater treatment system to Aqua Illinois.

Thus far, The Grove has played host to concerts, family movie nights, lunch time eats and Friday night social time.

Throw in a few fire pits, a splash pad and an ultra-cool playground and residents and officials have a perfect recipe for a gathering point for everyone whether a village resident or someone visiting Kankakee County.

“Everything we have been doing at The Grove is based upon the input of residents,” said Lindy Casey, Bourbonnais’ marketing and public engagement director.

“We have really tailored all the programming and the events around what our residents have directly told us is what they want. This is what we are stepping up to provide them. It’s a new Bourbonnais, but it’s the same Bourbonnais. We are growing.”

Some of the old Bourbonnais was featured Thursday night during the fourth annual Rockin Around the Tree Lighting.

Instead of kicking off Christmas at the village’s triangle across from Olivet Nazarene University, the tree added to 28,000 LED lights strung from trees in The Grove.

The new also include a portable synthetic ice skating rink.

More firsts come Dec. 14, when the village and Community Art Council of Kankakee County play host to Miracle at The Grove.

It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features holiday shopping for homemade goods from 28 to 30 vendors.

Merry the Reindeer will be there as will Santa Claus, of course. Food vendors will also be on hand providing holiday eats.

Much planning has gone into ways to showcase the park.

Those plans started in 2022 when ground was broken on 12.5 acres located behind the village’s Municipal Center and Administration Office on Main Street NW.

“It has not been easy, but if it seems that way, perhaps we’re making the best of it. Each struggle. Each challenge. Our community’s response to it has been reinforcing and motivating,” Casey said.

They experienced the response when the playground opened in September.

“There were so many people who posted positive comments online,” said Marketing and Public Engagement Specialist Natalie Norman.

Norman has been a valuable member of the marketing department, Casey said.

This development wouldn’t be possible if not for Mayor Paul Schore, the board of trustees, Administrator Mike Van Mill and Assistant Administrator Laurie Cyr.

This group came a with the vision of what this empty acreage could become, Casey said.

“At the end of the day, none of this would have been possible without the support of Mayor Schore and the board,” Casey said.

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