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Bike tour to visit Oak Brook’s historic places
What do you think of the park district’s planned historic bike ride?
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Updated: July 3, 2012 12:46PM
During its 50th anniversary season, the Oak Brook Park District plans to celebrate the village’s historical elements by taking a bike ride through town.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m. June 19, the 11-mile, three-hour bike tour will stop at various points of interest throughout the village and feature historical information provided to riders at each stop.
“We created it as a part of our own 50th anniversary and as a tool so we can spread the word about Oak Brook history,” Assistant Recreation Director Karen Spandikow said. “We turned it into a bike ride because it is doable to hit all the Oak Brook landmarks in one ride.”
The trip will start at the Ben Fuller House on York Road and finish with lunch just across the street at the York Tavern. Along the way, participants will learn about the village’s architecture, community leaders, businesses, recreational opportunities and conservation efforts.
The first stop will be at the Sam and Dorothy Dean Nature Sanctuary for an open-house and ribbon cutting ceremony to show off recent improvements made at the site.
“We do pauses and will have water breaks,” Spandikow said. “We will stop at each location to talk about each one’s history and show significant points. We will talk a lot about (Oak Brook founder) Paul Butler, who is a big part of the village.”
Stops include Christ Church of Oak Brook, Oak Brook Golf Club, Oak Brook Bath & Tennis Center, McDonald’s Corporation, the Oak Brook Park District, the Brook Forest subdivision, the Mayslake Peabody estate, Fullersburg Woods, Faith Fellowship Church and the Graue Mill.
“We will be riding through some beautiful pieces of Oak Brook behind the golf course, park district property and through Fullersburg Woods,” Spandikow said. “Those are some beautiful places and it’s going to be really nice.”
Most of the ride will take place on Oak Brook’s bike path system. Helmets are required and T-shirts will be provided to all riders.
The tour fee is $25 for residents, $31 for non-residents, and includes lunch at the York Tavern following the ride. Registration is limited to 25 people and participants can sign-up at www.obparks.org.
