Orland Park property owner blasting 'vulgar music' to get school to remove loud instruments on playground

CHICAGO - An Orland Park property owner has been blasting loud, vulgar music over the last few weeks in an attempt to push a school district to get rid of musical instruments on a local playground. 

In 2020, School District 135 relocated and replaced its playground at Prairie Elementary School with an interactive playground, Orland Park Police Chief Eric Rossi said.

The playground has elements that allow children to play musical instruments.

Rossi said the playground is adjacent to a property owner on Streamstown Court.

The property owner expressed concerns regarding the noise of the musical instruments, stating that the noise was interfering with their quality of life.

Over the last two years, the property owner tried to convince the district to remove the instruments, but was unsuccessful.

So — over the last few weeks — the property owner began playing loud music in an attempt to get the district to remove the instruments from the playground.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

Rossi said the music has included songs with vulgar content and language that is not suitable for children. 

Over the past week, the district removed the musical instruments — except for a bell. All the base structures still remain.

The Orland Park Police Department had been called to the area on numerous occasions over the last few weeks for noise complaints.

Each time, police tested the noise level to determine if the noise coming from the property owner was in excess of what is allowed by Village Code, and each time it was tested, the noise registered within the Village Code limits. 

"We do not always see eye-to-eye with our neighbors, but in most cases simply talking peacefully to one another is the best way to solve a problem. However, in this Prairie Elementary School noise dispute, dialogue has not produced positive results," said Rossi. "I am personally mediating this dispute, and I believe that a win-win resolution is within reach."

As of Friday, Rossi said the property owner has stopped playing the loud music as the district looks to come up with a proposed compromise.