Evanston residents must choose by noon Thursday, Aug. 27, which of two playground designs will be built at Clyde-Brummel Park.

The city is asking community members to review the designs online and select a favorite. The winning design will be announced shortly after voting closes, according to the Evanston Roundtable.

The $400,000 project is a partnership between the City of Evanston and KABOOM!, a national nonprofit that builds community-driven play spaces. The City Council approved the agreement unanimously on July 27, with $200,000 coming from the city's Capital Improvement Fund through 2026 project bonds and another $200,000 from a private donation secured by KABOOM!, according to council records.

The council also authorized a purchase agreement with Landscape Structures, Inc. for playground equipment, not to exceed $200,000, through a cooperative purchasing process. That vote also passed 9-0.

How the designs took shape

The two options now up for a vote grew out of a Design Day held Friday, Aug. 14, at Prieto Community Center, 430 Asbury Ave. Kids participated in a design workshop starting at 5 p.m., followed by an adults' session at 6:30 p.m. The Evanston Roundtable reported on the event ahead of time, and the city said the sessions helped shape the playground concepts residents are now choosing between.

The city said on its official Facebook page that the project aims to create a playground shaped by the children and families who will use it.

What comes next

Once a design is selected, the city plans a fast build. In late October, city staff, KABOOM! and community volunteers will construct the playground in less than a week, according to Evanston Now. The council resolution described the effort as operating on a "fast-tracked timeline, with all work slated for completion by the end of October 2026."

The city said volunteer sign-up details are forthcoming.

The Parks Board backed the project on July 17, 10 days before the full council approved it.