Farmers Weekly Review

By Stephanie Irvine

It’s been one year since the Elwood Children’s Garden volunteers planted around the grounds of the freshly constructed Hydrangea House.

And now that the house is available, the blooms will welcome local brides and grooms who chose the local spot for their nuptials.

Village Administrator Julie Friebele excitedly explained that two weddings, one in June and another in September, already have been booked for this year.

The multi-use building, located within the Children’s Garden at Lloyd Erickson Park, was established to provide an indoor space for conservation programming, but it’s also available for rentals for any occasion, including small weddings.

The Village of Elwood purchased and assembled the building and its corresponding storage shed in 2024.

The quaint, but clean new building’s design is somewhat of a cross between a one-room schoolhouse and a small church, and has the capacity to hold up to 100 people if everyone stands.

The Elwood Fire Protection District established that with tables and chairs, occupancy is limited to 33 people, but with chairs only, it can hold 72.

Its vaulted ceilings boast beautiful chandeliers and double doors open out to the park grounds, which offer winding paths through the Children’s Garden. A paved drive gives visitors easy access to the Hydrangea House, and along the paths are benches and information plaques.

Residents and non-residents easily can rent the space for a small fee. It requires two forms that detail what’s required when renting the space, depending upon any special requests, such as alcohol or sound amplification. Alcohol is allowed, but a special permit and insurance are required.

The village does have tables and chairs available for rentals, and the storage shed can easily be converted into a small space for brides to put on finishing touches or to stay concealed before the I-Dos.

“We’re trying to keep it very minimal in there, kind of plain, so people can come in, and they can decorate,” Friebele said. And though they are free to add their own decor, she specified that if hanging anything, they must use damage-free, removable mounting putty so as not to damage walls.

Friebele explained that the space is versatile, offering people the opportunity to rent it for a shower or to get married there and have the reception elsewhere, even at the adjacent Lloyd Erickson Park, where tents are allowed.

There are only a handful of blackout dates, such as National Night Out and Elwood Community Days, during which the park is in use.

“I think that people are most excited about having an indoor facility available at Lloyd Erickson Park,” Friebele said, adding that it gives people flexibility when planning events. If inclement weather arrives, they have shelter that’s not a pavilion.

While the Hydrangea House has electricity and is wired for heating and air conditioning, it is not currently heated or air-conditioned. Adding HVAC is a future village project, but right now, the building is small enough and has enough ventilation that it is functional for a good portion of the year without it.

And that bell tower has a working bell for weddings and other celebrations.

Adding the Hydrangea House is one of many projects the Village of Elwood is busy working on to offer its residents.

Friebele explained that after thoughtful conversations with CJ Logistics, which recently built a warehouse behind Lloyd Erickson Park, they agreed to fund a bike path connecting the Elwood Fire Station to the different parks in Elwood. The warehouse company had received approval for its newest warehouse many years ago.

The Village is also excited about a bike path connecting Midewin Tallgrass Prairie to the village through the Iron Bridge. It also would connect to the City of Wilmington and the Kankakee River. They received the initial engineering funding for that project in 2023 from a federal FLAP (Federal Land Access Program) grant and are continuing to work on it to bring it to fruition.

Previously, the village had a significant amount of bond debt, which prevented it from working on improvements. However, they’ve been slowly paying the debt off, paving the way for opportunities to add to the community.

“We’re working on tons of things all the time,” Friebele said, noting that some of that work includes pursuing grant funding to improve the village service offerings.

Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.

The Village of Elwood has immaculately appointed the Hydrangea House. (Photos by Stephanie Irvine)

The house is ready for small gatherings, or up to 100 people, but they’ll need to stand.

What’s a bell tower without a bell? Village officials hope to hear it ringing throughout the year, as people rent out the facility for happy gatherings.