Welcome to the Westchester Residents Association (WRA) website for Westchester Subdivision
History
Before Westchester was a subdivision, Craig Isbell and Gelder Lockwood founded the Springfield Aviation Co., which operated Southwest Airport on Chatham Road south of Wabash Avenue from 1927 into the 1960s. Celebrity aviators who flew into Southwest Airport included Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, and brothers Hunter and Humphrey Moody. The Moody brothers in 1939, originating from Southwest Airport, are known for “beating the world record for endurance flying in a light aircraft” (nearly 344 hours).
In 1962, Southwest Airport closed. The acreage was sold off for residential construction, and in 1963, the land was developed into Westchester Subdivision. This Springfield, Illinois southwest subdivision encompasses approximately 1,114 homes and is bordered by Chatham Road and Veteran’s Parkway. Not much remains of the former airport except a former hangar on Chatham Road.
As Westchester subdivision was planned, a “declaration of building restrictions,” commonly referred to as Covenants, was formed to establish rules and regulations on how the property would be used.
In 1978, the Westchester Residents Association was formed as a not-for-profit organization with board members to enforce the Covenants, and to promote the welfare of the subdivision and its residents.
Our board members are residents of the Westchester community who volunteer their time and are dedicated to make our subdivision a desirable place to live. We invite residents to participate in the WRA’s events and support the board by making a small annual contribution. With your help, the WRA can continue to provide neighborhood functions and maintain our surrounding areas. We value working together for a safe, family-focused place to live.
Get to know the great people in your neighborhood!
*Southwest Airport history courtesy of The Sangamon County Historical Society
Westchester Park
Lindbergh Park
2024 Annual WRA Meeting
Nov. 2, Springfield Bible Church
The annual WRA meeting attracted approximately 74 residents to Springfield Bible Church on Nov. 2. We were especially pleased to hear from:
- Mayor Misty Buscher
- Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette
- Springfield Fire Chief Ed Canny
- Springfield Public Works Director Dave Fuchs
- Ward 7 Alderman Brad Carlson
Mayor Buscher spoke about the summer derecho, reports of speeding and break-ins, her plan to hire more police officers, and her hope to streamline city services so that residents can more easily handle tasks like paying CWLP bills. She also noted that the city wants to increase repairs to infrastructure, meaning sidewalks and curbs. One of her initiatives is to hire zone managers who get out into the community to see what streets, curbs, sidewalks, streetlights, and more really look like. She promised to look into concerns about whether stop signs or speed bumps could slow the speeders in the neighborhood, and whether the Westchester subdivision streets can handle semi-truck traffic.
Chief Scarlette also addressed the need for more neighborhood police officers and hoped more residents would register their security cameras to help them track crimes. He thinks that as the city hires more police officers, we’ll see more officers in Westchester (and other neighborhood) doing traffic control. He said that statistically, the number of crimes in Springfield is down, but residents are concerned about break-ins. He encourages us to be vigilant by keeping doors locked, items in the home rather than in a vehicle, and using security/doorbell cameras.
Fire Chief Canny brought the renderings of the new fire stations which will put Westchester in the middle of two fire stations. He also explained the qualifications of firefighters, who are able to handle initial response to medical emergencies as well as fire and hazmat incidents.
Public Works Director Fuchs talked about streets, sewers, and leaf/branch pickup. He said that the addition of zone managers across the city will help determine where debris needs to be cleaned up.
Alderman Carlson spoke about government service and helping people navigate the bureaucracy. He cited accomplishments such as derecho cleanup, the Scheel’s complex, high-speed railway, the new Malibu Jacks and Illinois Environmental Protections Agency move to the mall which will generate activity in the area.