Tree nursery incoming to Glencoe’s Shelton Park

Two local entities are teaming up for a pair of green-minded initiatives.

Glencoe’s Village Board approved during its Thursday, April 17 meeting two agreements with the Glencoe Park District that will bring a new tree nursery to town as well as relocate existing greenhouses to a fresh site.

Park district officials contacted the Village in April of last year to kickstart discussions regarding a joint tree nursery in the village. Park and Village representatives then quickly reached a consensus to collaborate on the project.

The new tree nursery will plant its roots at Glencoe’s Shelton Park. Monica Sarna, the village’s public works director, told trustees the site is a strong fit because of its open space, existing drainage infrastructure and proximity to the Glencoe Community Garden.

Work on the tree nursery will begin in the fall of this year with the hope that the site will be ready for the spring 2026 planting season, Sarna said. The agreement between the park district and the Village allows for the Village to plant up to 55 trees at the site, public documents show.

Care and maintenance of the trees as well as costs associated with the project will be shared equally between the village and park district, per Sarna. Shelton Park is owned by the Glencoe Park District.

According to a village memo from Sarna, the agreement will remain in place for 25 years.

Greenhouses are currently placed at the Takiff Center maintenance yard, but park officials are planning renovations for the site with funding associated with the successful November 2024 referendum. The renovation work would displace the greenhouses, so a new location needed to be determined.

The existing greenhouses, per Sarna, are “heavily used” by the Glencoe Community Garden, Friends of the Green Bay Trail and other community groups.

Park and village officials determined the village-owned Harbor Street storage yard, which currently serves as the home to the Glencoe Community Garden, as a strong site.

Under the agreement, the park district will be solely responsible for the installation and maintenance of the greenhouses. Work is expected to begin in the spring of 2026, Sarna told the board.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.