With additional banquet room space, a larger and more functional kitchen, and fresh finishes throughout, the newly remodeled and updated Bonnie Brook Banquet and Dining Room has opened to rave reviews on both sides of the dining room.  

     “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” said Char Piquette, Bonnie Brook food and beverage manager.  “The end result is beyond our wildest dreams.”

      The Waukegan Park District owns and operates Bonnie Brook. The clubhouse was built in 1987, with some renovation work undertaken nearly a decade ago.

      The transformation evolved from an initial plan simply to redecorate and freshen the banquet facility and lobby. Following a feasibility study, PHN Architects and consultant ADD NAME determined that if the space were renovated and functionality improved, the facility and district’s bottom line would improve as well.

      The former banquet room seated approximately 150 people, in an awkward “L” shape that meant obstructed sightlines and a disconnected atmosphere. “Depending on where you sat you couldn’t see everyone,” Piquette said. “It didn’t feel like one space,” said PHN Principal Doug Holzrichter.

      “The facility just didn’t work well,” he added. Space was poorly configured and utilized, and the kitchen inefficient, Piquette said. Bland decor didn’t help.  

      “We gutted the kitchen, lobby and banquet facility, and started over,” said Holzrichter. “We put in a new kitchen and a new elevator, and all new finishes and interior decorating.”

      The work did not require altering the building’s footprint. Instead, rearranging space and eliminating areas and functions that weren’t performing as needed permitted creation of a vastly more functional clubhouse and banquet facility. The only exterior change was enclosing an interior staircase and attaching it to the outside of the building.

      The new banquet area can seat 250 to 275 people -- a good size for weddings -- and can be divided for separate gatherings of up to 120 and 140. Bonnie Brook now also includes a “pre-function area,” a space, with bar service, that permits banquet-goers to mix and mingle before entering the banquet room.

      The kitchen was redesigned and now offers a far more functional setup, with additional prep space and better flow, Piquette said.

      With a new elevator, the facility is fully accessible. That same elevator also permits convenient access to basement storage space, eliminating the need for storage on the first floor. 

      And the front lobby has been dressed up, with wainscoting, wood beams, new lighting and new interior finishes.

      Waukegan held a grand opening for the facility in early June, and with it, interest in banquet bookings is picking up, Piquette said. 

      The project cost $965,000. With the anticipated increased demand for banquet rentals, district officials believe the project will more than pay for itself.

      With the reopening, popular Wednesday night dinners have returned to Bonnie Brook. On Wednesdays throughout the year, the district opens the banquet room for public dining. Beyond the food, patrons also enjoy panoramic golf course views and, in pleasant weather, can enjoy a before- or after-dinner drink and conversation with friends on the patio.

      Diners so far like what they see.

      “The response has been very, very positive,” Piquette said. “People are just amazed at the transformation."