We have some really beautiful bridges and small wooded areas in the middle of Wheaton. Just south of  Wheaton North High School is Northside Park. There is a big pond with a huge playground on the south side of the pond, great limestone walking paths, 5 or 6 iron bridges, a couple of log cabins, and even a small wooded area that gives the impression that you are out in the middle of nowhere, even when you are actually in the middle of a beautiful residential neighborhood.

And for families that live and go to school in north Wheaton, this park is often a very integral part of their family experience -- the kids played on the swing set as toddlers, sledded on the east hill, took a field trip or did park district day camp at the covered pavilion beside the lake, biked up to the pool in the summer, practiced soccer on the fields north of the lake or camped in the scout log cabins. They have run the limestone paths as members of the cross country team at Franklin Middle School, trained for a Wheaton North High School sport by running up and down the sledding hill, or trekked through the park on numerous trips to and from the high school.

All in all, it's a wonderful park and particularly beautiful on a mid-autumn day. It makes a spectacular backdrop for family portraits. And I know that the H Family boys will have many wonderful memories of times spent in this park!