Orland Park Residents Weigh in on Centennial Park West and Performing Arts Center

About 40 residents of Orland Park attended a village-organized community engagement session to discuss Centennial Park West and the feasibility of a new performing arts center. Ray Piattoni, the village parks and recreation director, emphasized the importance of community involvement, saying, “Today is just the kickoff. It’s excellent to get the community involved, and as we go through the project and the feasibility study, we want to continue to engage as many community members as we can.”

Consultants from Keen Independent Research and Theatre Projects facilitated the session. They are tasked with creating a business plan for Centennial Park West and assessing the costs and benefits of a performing arts center. They shared their timeline for the project, announcing plans to present their findings by early next year. Residents then engaged with discussion questions at various stations in the Orland Park Police Department conference room.

Mary Fischer, a 12-year-old participant, expressed enthusiasm for the proposed center, along with her mother Tina Cucci Fischer, who directs the Orland Park Children’s Theater program. Cucci Fischer explained the limitations she has faced since the village cultural center closed in 2024, noting that plays must be scaled down due to limited facilities.

“We’ve done a lot of readjusting, negotiating over the years,” she explained, adding gratitude for the village’s provision of Studio VOP near Frontier Park. However, she stated the venue cannot accommodate large performances, limiting participants to 30 and audience members to 100.

Mary, who began her theater journey at age 3, commented on the simplicity yet effectiveness of the stage she uses, declaring that better lighting and more space during school productions allow performers to connect deeper with their characters.

Julianna Rubio Slager of Ballet 5:8 expressed excitement over the potential performing arts center, highlighting the opportunity it would present for her international team of 50 dancers. She emphasized the demand for such a facility, noting the lack of access to local performances poses a disservice to the community.

Village Board member John Lawler, present at the session, supports the idea, seeing it as a way to attract visitors and provide space for performing arts. He anticipates experts’ insights on Centennial Park West, recalling criticisms about its operation without a business plan by the previous administration.

Lawler mentioned dissatisfaction among some residents concerning noise and traffic, remarking on the controversial nature of the park. He pointed out the village incurred a loss of over $500,000 in 2025 and seeks advice from Keen Independent Research on how to utilize the facility effectively.

The consulting team planned to attend upcoming concerts at the park to assess noise impact and visitor experiences. Additionally, they gathered input from a joint meeting involving the village’s 15 commissions and advisory boards.

Residents are encouraged to share their views through an available online survey regarding both Centennial Park West and the potential performing arts center. Interested parties can visit www.orlandpark.org to access the survey.