Giving

The Backyard Project

 
 

No Place Like Home

One Community.
One Mission.
One Future.

For more than 65 years, Saint Viator has shaped young people who lead with heart, courage, compassion, and conviction. Our alumni carry this legacy into the world, our current students live it every day, and future Lions will inherit it — strengthened by the choices we make together right now. 
 
We have always honored our past by investing boldly in our present. Over the last decade, we transformed classrooms, expanded innovation and the arts, and strengthened the spaces where faith and fellowship thrive. Now, we are taking the next essential step: building athletic facilities that match the excellence our students deserve and that future Lions will rely on for decades to come.

With 80% of our students participating in sports, these facilities are not extras. They are central to the Saint Viator experience for past, present, and future.

With your support, Saint Viator will reimagine our campus, creating spaces where students discover their passion, strengthen their character, and grow in resilience through teamwork, perseverance, and service to others.

64 Years of Excellence and Continuing to Build for Tomorrow.

Backyard Project Neighbor Open House

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Hendrickson Room

Join us to explore the updated Backyard Project plans and see how neighborhood feedback has helped shape the proposal. Meet with school leadership and the project team, review updated renderings, ask questions, and share your perspective.

Drop in anytime during the open house. There will be no formal presentation; visit the informational stations at your own pace.

Thank You for Joining Us

Thank you to our neighbors who attended the Backyard Project Community Discussion Sessions on October 29. We appreciate the time you took to ask questions, share concerns, and offer feedback.

Transcripts from all three sessions are available below.
 

We Still Want to Hear From You

Whether or not you attended a session, we welcome your questions, comments, and concerns. Please email backyard@saintviator.com to share your feedback. We remain committed to open dialogue with our neighbors.

The Reimagined Backyard

Our plan brings football, soccer, and lacrosse fields, tennis courts, and an 8‑lane track home to campus, strengthening school spirit, deepening community, and creating formative experiences students will carry with them long after graduation. These spaces will also welcome Catholic elementary and middle schools across the region, inspiring future Lions and reinforcing our role as a hub of Catholic education.
 
Every Lion deserves a true home field; therefore, we are also advancing best‑in‑class baseball and softball venues as part of the Backyard Project. With limited space on campus, we are partnering with a nearby location to create a dedicated site with regulation diamonds, quality surfaces and lighting, dugouts, bullpens, batting cages, seating, and all the amenities needed for a safe, well‑managed, game‑day environment that feels like home. Details will be shared once a contract is finalized.

How busy will the fields be?

Explore an interactive calendar comparing current field use with projected activity under the Backyard plan.

At A Glance

List of 7 items.

  • Expanded Parking & Improved Traffic Circulation

    • The Backyard Project expands the south parking lot, bringing total on-campus parking to 511 spaces, an increase of 80 spaces. This added capacity reduces congestion, modernizes circulation, and keeps more student activity safely on campus.
    • Daily school-day parking demand (about 390 vehicles) already fits within existing capacity.
    • Planned improvements, such as raised channelizing islands and relocating parent drop-off/pickup to the north lot, will improve safety, reduce backups, and create a smoother, more predictable traffic pattern.
    • With practices and events moving on campus, fewer cars will leave the neighborhood after school, and visiting families will be able to park on campus rather than on residential streets.
    • Saint Viator will provide parking through a combination of two on-campus parking lots, a parking lot on the Clerics of Saint Viator property, as well as a designated parking lot off-site for remaining staff and faculty outside of Arlington Heights.
      • Parking Locations
        • Lot A: South on-campus parking
        • Lot B: North on-campus parking
        • Lot C: Clerics of St. Viator (staff/gameday staff parking only)
        • Lot D: Off-site parking (faculty only; complimentary shuttle service)
      • By utilizing both on-campus and designated off-site parking, Saint Viator will accommodate all attendees for any large attendance event, without utilizing or promoting parking on neighboring residential streets. 

  • Improved Stormwater & Drainage

    • The site will be regraded to drain inward, preventing runoff from flowing toward nearby homes.
    • A new underground detention system will capture, detain, and responsibly release stormwater, improving conditions for adjacent properties.
    • All stormwater measures meet or exceed Village and MWRD standards, ensuring long-term protection and resilience.

  • Privately Funded Investment

    • The Backyard Project is entirely privately funded and will not affect tuition, the Annual Fund, scholarships, or ministry budgets.
    • It does not affect property taxes.

  • Lighting & Sound Designed for Neighborhood Protection

    • All field lighting will use state-of-the-art, fully shielded, downward-aimed fixtures with set curfews.
    • Photometric plans confirm zero foot-candle spillover at the property lines, meaning no light entering nearby homes.
    • Sound systems will operate only when needed and always within Village ordinances.

  • Enhanced Carriage Walk

    • The school will enhance and continue to maintain the Carriage Walk, preserving it as a valued neighborhood connection.
    • Improvements include additional safety lighting and a widened sidewalk for accessibility, making it safer and more welcoming for neighbors year-round.

  • Enhanced Landscaping, Safety & Aesthetics

    • New landscape buffers, perimeter fencing, and event-management protocols will strengthen safety, reduce noise, and improve the campus edge.
    • Independent real-estate data consistently shows that proximity to well-maintained, high-performing schools supports strong property values.

  • Green & Sustainable Elements

    • Extensive new landscaping, including trees, shrubs, and plantings, will improve air quality, add shade, support soil preservation, and help with sound attenuation.
    • Artificial turf fields will reduce water usage compared to natural grass.
    • All materials selected are to be durable, long-lasting, and appropriate for outdoor use, reducing maintenance and environmental impact.

Benefits to Saint Viator & The Arlington Heights Community

The Backyard Project is about giving Arlington Heights something lasting: a place where our kids feel rooted, our families feel connected, and our neighborhood feels proud. By bringing our facilities up to the level of our academic excellence and Catholic mission, we meet what today’s families expect - strong learning paired with vibrant co‑curricular life. Students gain more time on campus in a safe and supportive environment, rather than racing to late‑night offsite practices that steal from study, rest, and family. This isn’t just a school investment; it’s a community investment. Local elementary and middle schools gain a resource that inspires future Lions, while a right‑sized plan with clear commitments on lights, sound, traffic, and landscaping protects the character of our neighborhood. Fewer teen driver trips mean less cut‑through congestion, and a well‑managed campus becomes a place where young athletes, families, and neighbors come together with pride. This project strengthens the heart of Arlington Heights.  
 
 

Saint Viator's Commitment to Our Neighbors

Saint Viator continues to strengthen the Backyard Project plan with enhancements that directly respond to neighborhood priorities. Recent updates include adding a 30x20-inch mirror at the traffic mirror at the Saint Viator Oakton entrance to improve pedestrian safety and visibility, reinforcing parking and circulation guidelines for students and visitors, and providing proactive community notifications ahead of large gatherings such as Grandparents’ Mass.

The Clerics of Saint Viator remain committed to transparency and responsible development. Although not required, the school hosted a neighborhood open house on December 3, 2025, inviting 480 nearby residents—far exceeding Village notice requirements. The information‑style format ensured all 175 attendees could ask questions and share feedback both verbally and in writing.

Based on that input, the plan was refined to further improve neighborhood compatibility, including:
  • Relocating the tennis courts to increase distance from nearby homes and position them adjacent to Carriage Park.
  • Strengthening weekday traffic and parking operations, in addition to peak‑event planning.
  • Expanding perimeter landscaping and screening to enhance privacy and aesthetics.
  • Enhancing the Carriage Walk, which will remain publicly accessible from dawn to dusk with improved lighting and ongoing maintenance.
Key community considerations have also been addressed through expert analysis:
  • A comprehensive traffic impact study by KLOA, Inc. confirms that surrounding streets, on‑campus circulation, and added parking can accommodate peak demand, including simultaneous events, when supported by staffed operations and coordinated overflow.
  • Stormwater will be captured and detained on-site through re‑grading and an underground detention system, improving conditions for adjacent properties and meeting or exceeding Village standards.
  • Lighting and sound will comply with all ordinances, using fully shielded, state‑of‑the‑art systems. A sound attenuation study for the public‑address system is underway.
  • Landscaping, safety, and aesthetics will be strengthened through strategic screening, perimeter fencing, and event‑management protocols. Independent real‑estate data consistently shows that proximity to strong schools supports property values.
  • Saint Viator will enhance and continue to maintain the Carriage Walk, preserving it as an important neighborhood connection.
These updates reflect the school’s ongoing commitment to being a thoughtful, responsive neighbor while ensuring students have safe, modern facilities that support their growth and success.
 
 

Progress to Date

Saint Viator submitted its Special‑Use application to the Village of Arlington Heights on January 22, 2026. The Special‑Use process has been an important benefit to the community, creating a structured, transparent framework that ensures the project meets high standards for safety, compatibility, and neighborhood impact. This review has guided meaningful refinements to traffic operations, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management, and event planning, all of which directly respond to resident priorities.

Throughout Spring 2026, Saint Viator representatives have been in active, productive collaboration with the Village’s Department of Planning & Community Development. This partnership has strengthened the project’s technical rigor and ensured alignment with Village expectations at every step.

Project designs have been refined, fundraising materials completed, and Saint Viator’s Planning Committee continues to meet weekly to review progress, address community considerations, and maintain momentum toward key milestones.

To support clear, consistent communication, the school has expanded its capacity with the addition of Megan Brunet, Vice President of Brand and Marketing, who will continue sharing updates and opportunities for involvement throughout the summer. Ongoing progress can be followed here on the Backyard Project page of our website.
 
 

Add your name in support
of modern athletic fields that will serve students, families, and our community for generations to come.

 
 
 
 

Frequently Asked Questions - General

List of 16 items.

  • Why does Saint Viator need this project? And why now?

    Today, nearly 400 of our students leave campus for practices, games, and meets, often traveling about 20 minutes each way. That takes students away from academics, family time, and the broader school community. Our goal is to bring more of those activities back to campus in a thoughtful way. This is not about creating athletics where none existed before. Saint Viator has long had athletic fields on this property. It is about modernizing the campus so we can better serve students while addressing the impacts that come with doing that in a residential neighborhood.

  • Isn't this inappropriate for a residential neighborhood, on a small site surrounded by homes?

    High school athletic fields are a normal part of residential neighborhoods across our area. The Backyard Project would sit no closer to homes, and border fewer of them, than the stadiums at nearby public high schools.
    • Fewer neighboring sides. Homes border Saint Viator on three sides. To the south is the Clerics of St. Viator's own property. Hersey, Prospect, and Wheeling each have homes on all or nearly all four sides.
    • More separation from homes. Our grandstand would be about 110–115 feet from the nearest house, with Dryden Avenue in between. At nearby schools, the stands closest to homes range from about 85 feet at Wheeling, where the main grandstand backs directly onto residents' yards, to about 105–120 feet at Prospect and Hersey.
    • Fewer backyards directly against the campus. Only our east side meets neighbors' backyards directly. Hersey and Wheeling each have two such sides.
    • Designed for the east side. We moved the tennis courts to the southeast corner beside Carriage Walk Park. We removed the baseball and softball fields, which will now be located offsite.  
    • Good-neighbor features. The plan includes: 
      • Relocation of baseball and softball fields to an offsite facility. This means no more foul balls landing in neighbors’ backyards or roofs from on-campus baseball activities. 
      • Relocation of outdoor batting cages to an offsite facility to eliminate ball-to-bat contact noise.
      • Added permanent facilities, removing the need for temporary restrooms. 
      • Fully shielded lighting with set curfews.
      • 80 new parking spaces to keep cars off neighborhood streets.
      • New and widened sidewalks.
      • A widened, lit Carriage Walk.
      • New landscaping and fencing around the perimeter.
      • New stormwater and drainage infrastructure.

  • Why should the Village support a private school's athletic project?

    We understand that the Village's responsibility is broader than Saint Viator. The question is whether this is an appropriate use of our property and whether the impacts can be responsibly managed. That is why we’ve spent so much time working through parking, traffic, drainage, pedestrian access, lighting, and the relationship with our neighbors. Saint Viator has been part of Arlington Heights since 1961, and we recognize that with that history comes a responsibility to be a good steward of this property.

  • Why don’t you build the athletic facilities and parking lot on the Clerics' property?

    We did evaluate whether the Province Center could accommodate additional parking or athletic facilities. We concluded it is not a practical option because of several significant site constraints, including:
    • Impact on existing religious facilities (chapel, senior living/retirement homes for priests and nuns, international headquarters/administration building);
    • the potential impact on more than 40 neighboring homes that border the property;
    • existing stormwater detention areas;
    • limited available open space;
    • a large number of mature trees;
    • a one-way access road that would require substantial widening and new curb cuts along Euclid.

    That said, the High School and the Viatorian Province Center are separate ministries with different missions, operations, and long-term needs. 

    For those reasons, the south parcel does not provide a workable solution to the High School’s needs.

  • Why do you need two fields? Why isn't one enough?

    Two fields allow us to accommodate multiple sports and teams practicing at the same time, rather than scheduling activities one after another. Importantly, this helps reduce the overall hours the facilities are in use each day, allowing practices to finish earlier and minimizing the need for lighting and evening activity.

    With nearly 80% of our students participating in athletics, one field simply wouldn't provide the capacity needed for practices, games, and physical education throughout the school year.

    Our goal is to bring more student activities back to campus while being mindful of our neighbors. Two fields help us accomplish both: meeting our students' needs while managing the duration and impact of daily activity on the surrounding neighborhood.

  • This is a very large project on a relatively small property, especially compared with other high schools. Why is this the right scale?

    We've also refined the project's scale and layout as we've evaluated site constraints, actual facility needs, and neighborhood considerations. These adjustments include moving baseball and softball off campus, relocating tennis farther from nearby residences, and reducing bleacher capacity by 25%, from 2,000 to 1,500 seats. Together, these decisions allow us to use the available space more effectively while addressing several concerns raised during the planning process.

  • Do the Clerics support the Backyard project?

    Yes, they are 100% in support of the project.

  • How many events will take place on campus, and how late will activity continue?

    We've developed a detailed activity calendar based on current athletic schedules to better understand how frequently the facilities would be used and what that activity would look like throughout the school year.

    Based on that analysis, we project approximately 89 athletic competitions across 75 days during the school year. Most would be smaller events, including soccer, lacrosse, and tennis, with relatively modest attendance. We anticipate approximately five home football dates, which would represent our largest spectator events.

    The majority of activities would take place after school, with practices and competitions scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening. Importantly, having two fields allows teams to practice simultaneously rather than one after another, helping us manage the overall hours of activity and reduce the need for later evening use.
    These projections are illustrative and based on current athletic schedules. Actual dates and times will vary from year to year depending on team schedules, competitions, and other school needs.

    Our goal is to maintain a predictable, responsibly managed schedule that supports our students while being mindful of our neighbors. We will continue working with the Village to establish reasonable operating parameters for lighting, amplified sound, and larger events.

  • If there are only 5 home football games a year, why does Saint Viator need to spend the money on new facilities? Why not continue renting space at nearby facilities?

    Fair question. The football games are actually the smallest part of it. The fields would be used every school day by student-athletes participating in soccer, lacrosse, flag football, track, dance, and cheer, plus PE classes. Right now, many of those teams travel about 20 minutes off campus to practice and play, and the field used for football games is rented from District 214, not owned by Saint Viator. Keeping students on campus means less time on the road, safer afternoons, and more time for school. The project is privately funded, at no cost to taxpayers.

  • What prevents Saint Viator from increasing the number of night games or outside events later?

    We understand that concern. Our commitment is to operate these facilities responsibly, consistent with the plans we present to the Village and in full compliance with the operating parameters established by the Village as part of the approval process.

    These parameters may address hours of operation, lighting, amplified sound and event use. We recognize that these requirements are important safeguards for our neighbors, and we will be accountable for following them.

    Our primary purpose is to serve Saint Viator students, not to create a commercial event venue. We understand that approval comes with responsibilities, and our commitment to being a good neighbor extends well beyond the approval process.

  • Is this really about students, or is it about enrollment, fundraising and competing with other schools?

    The primary reason for this project is the student experience. Nearly 80% of our students participate in athletics, and nearly 400 student-athletes currently travel off campus for practices and competitions throughout the school year. That affects their time, academics, family life, and connection to the school. Strong facilities certainly matter to the long-term health of any school, but the need starts with what our students experience every day. These aren’t just “athletic” spaces. They’ll serve every student – PE and wellness, athletic teams, retreats, leadership programs, and service events. More time on campus. Safer afternoons. Easier access to teachers and coaches. A real home field for Lions.

  • Why does 80% athletic participation justify impacting 100% of the surrounding neighborhood?

    We do not view this as choosing students over neighbors. Saint Viator has operated athletic fields on this campus for decades. The question is how to modernize those facilities while responsibly managing the impacts of doing so in a residential neighborhood. That is why the plan has changed significantly: baseball and softball were moved off campus, tennis was relocated, bleacher capacity was reduced, and the plan includes additional parking, landscaping, fencing, stormwater management, and controlled lighting.

  • Why should neighbors absorb the impact of Saint Viator not having adequate facilities?

    We understand why a neighbor would ask that. We are not suggesting that our needs override theirs. We are asking whether the school can make a reasonable use of its existing property while responsibly mitigating the effects on surrounding homes. That balance has driven the revisions we have made throughout this process.

  • Why not simply continue using off-campus facilities?

    The current model has a real cost for students and families. Nearly 400 students leave campus throughout the school year for practices, games, and meets, often adding significant travel to their school day. That means less time with teachers, less time for homework and family, more late practices, and more student driving. Bringing more activity back to campus creates a safer, more connected, and more sustainable student experience.

  • Will Saint Viator rent these facilities to outside organizations?

    The primary purpose of these facilities is to serve Saint Viator students. We are not proposing this as a commercial tournament or outside-event venue. Any outside use would need to be consistent with the operating parameters established for the facility and with our responsibility to the surrounding neighborhood.

  • How will this project impact neighboring property values?

    We understand why homeowners care deeply about property values. Based on the real estate analysis recently conducted, we believe the project will have a positive impact on surrounding property values.

    That finding is consistent with the broader value of living near a strong, well-maintained school and community asset. At the same time, we know the quality of the project’s design and operation matters. That is why the plan includes landscaping and screening, controlled lighting, sound management, traffic planning, and clear operating standards to minimize impacts on nearby homes.

    We would be happy to submit the real estate study as part of our final proposal so the Village can review the analysis directly.

Parking & Traffic

List of 7 items.

  • Won't bringing 400 students back to campus create more traffic?

    It changes the traffic pattern, but importantly, it also eliminates many of the daily trips students currently make to off-campus practices and competitions. For most activities and events, our on-campus parking and circulation will accommodate the need. For the limited number of larger attendance events, we developed a Large Event Parking & Traffic Management Plan that can be activated when needed.

    The goal is to manage both everyday operations and peak events thoughtfully, keeping students on campus while minimizing impacts on surrounding streets.

  • How can you guarantee that spectators won't park on neighborhood streets?

    We can’t control every individual driver, but we have developed a detailed Large Event Parking & Traffic Management Plan specifically to help prevent neighborhood streets from becoming overflow parking.

    For major events, spectators will receive assigned parking through a digital ticketing system before they arrive. We will maximize on-campus parking, move faculty and staff to designated off-site parking when needed, and use parking attendants to direct every vehicle to its assigned location. The plan also includes coordinated traffic management with Arlington Heights Police for larger events.

    Our goal is to manage parking proactively and keep event traffic and parking on Saint Viator property or in designated lots, not in the surrounding neighborhood.

  • You are adding 80 parking spaces. How do you know that is enough?

    The 80 additional spaces significantly strengthen our everyday on-campus parking capacity. We expect on-campus parking to meet the needs of the vast majority of school and athletic events. 

    We also recognize that a handful of larger events may create greater demand. That is why we developed a separate Large Event Parking & Traffic Management plan that we can activate when needed. We will use both on-campus lots, reserve the Viatorian lot for coaches and game-day staff, and move faculty and staff to designated off-site parking with shuttle service. That preserves on-campus capacity for spectators.

    We will also use digital parking assignments to direct guests to available spaces before they arrive and actively manage those lots with parking attendants throughout the event.

  • Where is the offsite parking located? Is it at St. James and won’t this create a problem for that area?

    St. James was previously designated as an off-site remote parking option. Based on Village staff feedback, we shifted to this approach. The Clerics of St. Viator have approved parking for staff on their site. Plus, we have a relationship with St. Alphonsus, and if/when additional parking is needed, we will use their facility for off-site staff parking.

  • What happens when your parking plan fails? Where do the cars go?

    The better way to think about it is that our parking plan is designed to prevent us from reaching that point.

    Most events will be accommodated entirely with on-campus parking. For the limited number of larger events, we will know in advance that additional measures are needed and activate our Large Event Parking & Traffic Management Plan before guests arrive. That allows us to manage capacity proactively through assigned parking, off-site staff parking, shuttles, attendants, and traffic coordination rather than waiting until lots fill up and reacting.

  • What will you do if spectators park on neighborhood streets anyway?

    Our first priority is prevention. For most events, there will be sufficient on-campus parking. For larger events, attendees will receive clear parking instructions before they arrive, and when needed, we can use assigned parking, attendants, designated off-site staff parking, and traffic-management support.

    We cannot control every individual driver, but we can create a system in which neighborhood parking is neither necessary nor the expected option.

  • Aren’t you simply moving traffic from one neighborhood street to another?

    No. The plan looks at both parking capacity and traffic flow. For large events, attendees will be directed to assigned lots before arriving, with specific routing to reduce unnecessary circulation. Parking attendants and, when appropriate, law-enforcement support will manage key entrances and exits. The objective is organized movement to and from campus rather than vehicles searching through surrounding streets.

Lighting

List of 3 items.

Sound/Noise

List of 2 items.

  • What will neighbors hear inside their homes?

    We do not want to overstate what any single mitigation measure can accomplish. That is why sound is being evaluated through technical analysis. We have already reduced sources of activity by moving baseball and softball off campus, and the design considers field placement, landscaping, fencing, and operations.

  • What will the neighbors hear from these fields?

    We recognize that sound is different from light because you cannot address it simply through one piece of equipment. That is why we have looked at field location, activity placement, fencing, landscaping, and how the facilities will be operated. Moving baseball and softball off campus also removes an existing source of activity along the property. We are continuing to evaluate sound and will use that technical work to inform the final operating approach.

Drainage/Stormwater

List of 1 items.

  • Will this project make existing drainage problems worse?

    No. The plan includes engineered on-site stormwater detention and controlled release designed in coordination with Village requirements. Stormwater management is not an afterthought to the project; it is a critical part of the engineered site plan.

Landscaping

List of 1 items.

  • What are you doing about privacy for the homes surrounding the school?

    The revised plan adds replacement fencing and significant perimeter landscaping, and we moved uses where we could create greater separation from residences. The most significant example is tennis: those courts were relocated to the south side of the property, away from the residential homes. Privacy and screening have been treated as part of the design rather than something to address after construction.

Neighborhood Relationship/Overall Design

List of 7 items.

  • Why should neighbors believe Saint Viator will follow these commitments once the project is approved?

    We understand that trust cannot rest on good intentions alone. That is why we are prepared to work with the Village on reasonable operating parameters as part of the approval process. We also intend to have clear accountability within the school so neighbors know who to contact if an issue arises.  

  • Neighbors say they were not heard. What did you actually change because of their concerns?

    Throughout the planning process, we've continued to refine the Backyard Project, balancing student needs, site constraints, anticipated facility use, and feedback from our neighbors.

    These considerations have informed a number of changes, including moving baseball and softball off campus, relocating tennis farther from nearby homes, reducing bleacher capacity from 2,000 to 1,500 seats, expanding parking, and improving traffic circulation.

    The revised plan also includes additional landscaping and screening, stormwater management improvements, and measures to manage lighting and sound.

    Not every adjustment was made for a single reason, and not every change was specifically requested by neighbors. However, we've been intentional about considering neighborhood impacts alongside the school's needs as the plan has evolved.

  • What happens to the pedestrian path around the property?

    The revised plan improves pedestrian access rather than eliminating it. We are proposing wider, accessible, and illuminated walkways, including widening the Oakton and Dryden walks to 10 feet and Carriage Walk to 8 feet. Those improvements are intended to make pedestrian movement safer and more accessible around the site.

  • Why did you move baseball and softball off campus instead of reducing the rest of the project further?

    As we refined the project, it became clear that accommodating regulation baseball and softball facilities alongside the proposed multi-use fields, track, and tennis courts would not be feasible within the available space.

    Moving baseball and softball off campus allows us to prioritize facilities that serve a broader range of student activities while pursuing dedicated, high-quality venues for those programs nearby.

    The change also has benefits for neighboring properties, including eliminating on-campus baseball and softball activity and the associated noise and foul-ball concerns that have been raised over time.

    This decision reflects both the practical limitations of our property and our efforts to consider neighborhood impacts as the project evolves.

  • Where exactly will baseball and softball go, and are those arrangements guaranteed?

    We have been working on off-campus solutions because the revised Backyard Project no longer includes those fields. What is important for this application is that baseball and softball are no longer part of the proposed on-campus plan. These fields will, however, have a new home off-site. Once the site agreement is signed, we’ll announce the location.

  • If the Village approves this and problems emerge after opening, what will Saint Viator do?

    Our responsibility does not end when construction is complete. Saint Viator has been part of this neighborhood for decades and intends to remain here for generations. If operational issues arise, we will continue to respond and make reasonable operating adjustments when appropriate. We want to be accountable not only for the design of the project, but for how we operate it.

  • Why was grandstand capacity reduced from 2,000 to 1,500 seats?

    As our planning progressed, we reassessed anticipated attendance and determined that 1,500 seats would better align with our projected needs.

    Reducing the proposed grandstand by 25% also decreases the scale of the facility and the seating capacity used in our parking analysis.

    This adjustment reflects our commitment to designing facilities that are appropriately sized for Saint Viator while being mindful of the surrounding neighborhood.

Community Updates

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Saint Viator High School welcomed 175 neighbors, alumni, current parents, and prospective parents to an Open House event to learn more about Saint Viator’s Backyard Project, including preliminary renderings, maps and timelines, and project specifics.
 
The Backyard Project is our vision to reimagine our existing backyard with updated athletic and community spaces, using the land we already have to better serve our students and the broader Arlington Heights community.  
 
The Open House event was held between 7:00 and 8:30 PM on December 3rd, and attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and meet the dedicated team of subject matter experts, ranging from architects, landscapers, and engineers to representatives in sports lighting, safety, traffic, and real estate.
 
It was a great evening filled with energy and conversation. Missed the event? See the Open House Fact Sheet and visit our project page for ongoing updates.

Naming Opportunities

Naming opportunities available in recognition for those supporting at leadership levels. Please contact Jeff Ardito, Vice President of Advancement, at jardito@saintviator.com or 224-625-1286 to learn more.

Questions?
We appreciate your thoughts and are committed to answering your questions. A member of the Saint Viator team will get back to you shortly.

Saint Viator High School

1213 East Oakton Street, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
TEL: 847-392-4050