In 1995, the park district purchased the building serving as Rugen Community Center and its surrounding nine acres from School District 34. This purchase was made to assure that this centrally located piece of land would remain as open space for future generations even after the new community center was completed. The purchase price of $406,500 was paid from the Charles Swenson Fund, a $1.3 million bequest the park district had received from a local businessman in 1990. After the opening of Park Center in 2001, the building was demolished in 2002 to make way for the development of the 10 acre Swenson Park.

After public hearings to identify features neighbors and residents wanted to see included in this park, construction got underway in 2002 and the park was dedicated on July 12, 2003. Funding for the park, which included Glenview’s second skate park as well as its first inline hockey rink, was provided in part by a $400,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources which was matched with $400,000 of park district funds.