Your Local Government: Boards & Commissions: Beautification Commission
Our Mission
The Beautification Committee aspires to enhance the scenic environment of the Village of Brookfield through community involvement and raising environmental awareness. The Committee will strive to encourage a sense of responsibility in Brookfield residents to facilitate the creation of a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing community.
Meetings
Meetings are held monthly on the second Tuesday of the month, at 7:00PM in Village Hall, last approximately 1.5 – 2 hours and are open to the public.
Approved meeting minutes for 2008 are available for download here:
July 8, 2008
June 10, 2008
May 13, 3008
April 8, 2008
March 11, 2008
February 12, 2008
January 2008 (no meeting)
Who We Are
The Beautification Committee consists of nine appointed volunteer members and two Village liaison members. Members of the committee include:
Joan Stewart (Committee Chairperson) Cathy Edwards (Trustee Liaison) Al Kitzer (Department of Public Works Liaison) Nicole Gilhooley |
*There is currently one opening on the Beautification Committee. To apply email Brookfield Village President, Mike Garvey, at mgarvey@brookfieldil.gov and indicate why you feel you would be an asset to the group. This is an appointed position and your application will be brought before the Village Board for review and approval. |
Community Support and Donations
Coming soon…
Upcoming Events
No events scheduled at this time. Please check back later.
News and Updates
Coming Soon…
Village Beautification Projects
In the past year the Beautification Committee organized or participated in the following projects: Project N.I.C.E. (community wide cleanup day), Perennial Plant Swap, RBHS ‘Make a Difference Day’ (clean up and planting day with students), Adopt-a-Spot and a village-wide garden contest. In 2007 and 2008 the Committee also planted gardens at the Broadway fire station and the recreation center at Jaycee Ehlert Park, purchased new garbage cans, cigarette urns and recycling containers to be placed around the Village, painted murals at the Department of Public Works and Kiwanis Park and painted fire hydrants. The Committee compiled and submitted the Village application for the Illinois Governor’s Hometown Award.
More detail on our ongoing projects can be found below.
Adopt-A-Spot
The Brookfield Adopt-A-Spot program provides individuals, families, organizations and businesses with the opportunity to volunteer to adopt a designated area of the Village for a one-year period. Volunteers help pick up litter and pull weeds from flowerbeds in parks, landscaped traffic islands, historical markers and other public spaces.
For more information or to discuss issues related to a spot you would like to adopt or have already adopted, contact the Adopt-A-Spot program managers, Joan Stewart at StewartJVS@aol.com or Nicole Gilhooley at Nicole.Gilhooley@yahoo.com or 773-793-2677.
2008 Brookfield Adopt-A-Spot Program Details and Areas Available for Adoption
Adopt-A-Spot Application (PDF)
Adopt-A-Spot Waiver, Release and Hold Harmless Agreement (Adults) (PDF)
Adopt-A-Spot Waiver, Release and Hold Harmless Agreement (Organizations) (PDF) – coming soon. Please contact us if interested in signing up your organization)
Garden Contest
In spring 2008 the Beautification Committee announced the 1st annual village-wide garden contest. The contest is designed to give residents an opportunity to show off their gardens while helping to make Brookfield a more beautiful place to live. Contest entries were accepted until July 20, 2008.
Over twenty applications were received, all gardens were photographed and reviewed by a judging committee; three gardens were selected as winners. Applicants were asked to provide details in their submittal on why their garden was special. The gardens were evaluated using a number of criteria including maintenance, use of color, design, and variety. Judges noted that all of the submissions that were received reflected the hours of hard work, love and dedication that each gardener put forth to make a significant positive difference in the neighborhood. Winners have been notified and signs have been posted in their front gardens for the public to see. Congratulations and thanks to all who entered!
Winners of the 2008 Garden Contest are:
1st Place - Gloria Gurga
2nd Place - Doug & Rachel Hoogstra
3rd Place - Ronald Mangus
Kiwanis Park Mural
The Beautification Committee sponsored the new mural painted on the concession stand at Brookfield's Kiwanis Park. The mural is located at the Little League ball field and celebrates our love of baseball and another local attraction, the Brookfield Zoo. Brookfield resident and artist Felicia Pfluger worked directly with the Beautification Committee to help manage the project from start to finish. The initial template used for the mural was created by Pfluger and reviewed by the Beautification Committee. The local Little League Association also reviewed the plan. Approximately 30 volunteers from the local area donated 100s of hours over many days to complete the project. Julie Janetopoulis of the Beautification Committee also works for CEP Youth Leadership, Inc. and invited 12 teens from that program to volunteer their time to help paint.
RBHS ‘Make a Difference Day’
Make a Difference Day is a national community service day. This day of helping others is generally held on the 4th Saturday of each October. Along with the Beautification Committee, students from Riverside Brookfield High School take part in several projects throughout Brookfield. Learn more about the program from the creators of
In 2007 students and members of the Beautification Committee donated their time and energy to complete the following projects on Make a Difference Day.
- Designed and painted a mural on the Department of Public Works snow plow
- Painted 48 fire hydrants
- Planted bulbs, 5 shrubs, 6 ornamental grasses, mulched flower beds and perimeter of park and raked leaves at Creekside Park
- Painted bases of 15 light poles at Kiwanis Park
- Cleared branches along east bank of Salt Creek
- Planted bulbs in front of Village Hall and band stage in Kiwanis Park
- Cleaned up gardens in front of Village Hall, Liberty Bell and band stage
- Raked sand in volleyball court
- Picked up trash along Salt Creek, flood plain
- Planted bulbs and cleaned out gardens at Prairie Avenue train station and public seating area
- Swept platforms, picked up trash and cut back dead branches at Prairie Avenue train station
- Planted bulbs, mulched flower beds, cut back and removed branches at Hollywood Avenue train station and along sidewalks
Details on the 2008 Make a Difference Day in Brookfield will be posted here soon.
Perennial Plant Swap
Give a plant, take a plant. Need to thin out overgrown perennials from your yard? Share the wealth with a neighbor and find a new variety of plant for your own garden!
Each year in early June the Beautification Committee hosts a plant swap on the lawn to the west of Village Hall. Residents are encouraged to bring plants in gallon or quart containers with labels for plants indicating their preferred growing conditions (sun, shade, part sun, bloom color, time of year they bloom, etc).
Participants may also bring annual plants, herbs, garden tools, plant stakes, pots, house plants and cuttings. Plant donations for the Beautification Committee are also accepted to help beautify Brookfield. Check back here in Spring 2009 for details on the next Plant Swap.
Project N.I.C.E. (Neighbors Involved in a Clean Environment)
The Beautification Committee organized the 16th annual village-wide volunteer spruce-up and project day on April 26th, 2008. Brookfield residents donated one morning of their time to give our parks, schools, train stations and outdoor public areas a good spring-cleaning.
- Over 250 people participated this year including groups from S.E. Gross Middle School, Riverside Brookfield High School, local scout troops and CEP Youth Leadership, Inc.
- Over 20 cubic yards of leaves were raked and collected from our parks
- Over 60 cubic yards of fallen trees and limbs were cleared from banks of Salt Creek
- Over 100 trees were mulched at Jaycee Ehlert Park
- Mural painting began at Kiwanis Park (paint donation courtesy of the Brookfield Women’s Club)
Thank you to all of our volunteers--individuals, families, scout troops, students, church groups, organizations and businesses who joined us and made the day a big success. We hope to see you next year!