The $16.8 million transformation of the public Addison, Ill., golf course, now named The Preserve at Oak Meadows, reduced the number of holes from 27 to 18 with improved stormwater management, greater water quality in Salt Creek, and enhanced habitat for fish and other aquatic species.
On February 21, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County formally renamed what had been known for 30 years as the Oak Meadows Golf Course in Addison, Ill., The Preserve at Oak Meadows.
The name change reflects the $16.8 million transformation of the 288-acre property. The Preserve at Oak Meadows is the result of a major environmental restoration project resulting in a forest preserve that promises improved stormwater management, greater water quality in Salt Creek, enhanced habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and a premier 18-hole public golf destination.
“The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is excited to give this incredible property a new name that more accurately reflects what it has become: a revitalized preserve—a place where conservation and recreation thrive together,” said Joe Cantore, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President. “We believe The Preserve at Oak Meadows is a model for how conservation agencies can blend ecological initiatives with golf and recreation.”
To accommodate the ambitious ecological and stormwater management aspects of the project, the number of golf holes was reduced from 27 to 18. The result is an entirely new golf course designed by Greg Martin. Only 15% of the 288 acres is dedicated to fairways, greens and teeing areas, officials said. Improvements also include a connection to the regional Salt Creek Greenway Trail, making The Preserve accessible to hikers, joggers and cyclists.
The District and its partners, the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup and DuPage County Stormwater Management, funded the restoration project. The River Prairie Group of the Sierra Club also supported the project’s initiatives.
Ben Hogan won the 1941 Chicago Open at what was then Elmhurst Country Club, an 18-hole private club at this location originally designed by prominent golf course architect Charles W. Wagstaff. The Forest Preserve District acquired the course in 1985, renaming it Oak Meadows, and later bought the adjacent Brookwood Country Club.
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