“North Riverside debuts green parking lots for village buildings,” Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

July 19, 2024

Riverside-Brookfield Landmark:The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago contributed $1.28 million toward the project

North Riverside has officially unveiled the village's first ever green infrastructure project in the form of new village parking lots with permeable pavers. North Riverside officials joined representatives from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and area politicians on Monday, July 15, to host a ribbon cutting at the village's Village Commons at 2401 S. Des Plaines Ave. in honor of the 71,000 square feet of new green parking lots. They replaced six asphalt lots at the commons and the village's fire, police and public works departments.

This bird's eye view of the North Riverside Village Commons shows the six new green parking lots with permeable pavers that were unveiled at a ribbon cutting July 15. The sustainable lots, with their reddish pavers, can capture up to 539,000 gallons of water at a time that would otherwise sit on top of an asphalt parking lot and run into nearby sewers or bodies of water. | Provided by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Altogether, the six new parking lots can capture up to 539,000 gallons of water at a time that could otherwise run into residents' basements, village sewers or the Des Plaines River during heavy rain or snow events. The new lots account for about 17% of the area of North Riverside's Village Commons.

According to a news release from the MWRD, construction work to turn the lots green involved the demolition and removal of the old asphalt before crews dug 21 inches deep to install filter fabric covered by 17 inches of three layers of stone, including an under-drain system. Then, the construction workers topped the stone with the permeable brick pavers, giving the parking lots their new reddish color.

North Riverside Mayor Joe Mengoni, Village Administrator Sue Scarpiniti, Village Clerk Kathy Ranieri and village trustees were present at the ribbon cutting alongside MWRD President Kari K. Steele and the MWRD Board of Commissioners. Cook County Board Commissioner Frank Aguilar and State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid of the 21st District also attended.

"The North Riverside village board and I are proud to unveil our first green infrastructure project on record, as we are committed to investing in North Riverside and finding natural solutions to address local flooding and other environmental issues," Mengoni said in a speech Monday. "The installation of these new permeable paver lots will not only naturally divert stormwater form the village's combined sewer system to help alleviate flooding and residential backup issues, but it will also recharge our groundwater and safeguard our rivers and natural water resources from pollutants during large rain events, just like last night."

Heavy storm winds battered the area Sunday and Monday evenings, including an EF-0 tornadothat passed through Brookfield and Riverside on Sunday night.

Steele said the MWRD was "proud" to have contributed about $1.28 million in funding toward the project's $1.53 million cost as one of 10 projects it took on as part of its Green Infrastructure Partnership program in 2022. The MWRD last June agreed to pay out $256,000 to Riverside for the installation of permeable pavers at the village's Parking Lot 8through the same program.

Since starting the program in 2015, the MWRD said it has contributed to 107 finished green infrastructure projects with 24 more planned for completion this or next year.

"To date, this is one of [the MWRD's] largest Green Infrastructure Partnership program projects," Steele said in a speech. "Climate change is real, and we are experiencing more intense rain events, so communities like North Riverside are leading the charge by preparing the community to better handle rainfall. So, I applaud your mayor, the village trustees, staff and residents for your commitment and partnership to investing in green infrastructure."

"You could have built an asphalt parking lot, sending more water straight into the Des Plaines River, but instead, you chose to invest in your future - in our future," she added.

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