The Recreation Center of Highland Park has been one of the premier facilities at your Park District of Highland Park for nearly 20 years. Through fitness fads that came and went, and workout trends that we refined and helped you incorporate into your personal routines, we’ve stayed an integral part of the community. We’re grateful for your support, and for the lasting friendships we’ve built.

Today, we’re announcing a significant change: we will now be known as Park Fitness!

Our new name highlights not only who we are, but who we aspire to be. Park aligns with our history as a major facility at your Park District, and also references our physical locations—just steps away from The Preserve, a magnificent 100-acre nature-based park full of walking and biking trails—and Park Avenue West that brings you right to our door. Fitness highlights who we are at our core: extensive offerings for physical health and overall well-being in a place designed to be a community hub—where social engagement enhances every workout in an inclusive, welcoming, caring environment. It’s a combination that makes Park Fitness truly extraordinary.

If you are new to the community, or the Park District, we invite you to see the transformation that our members have been watching over the past two years. The 5,850 square foot Fitness Floor has been redesigned to be more comfortable, and quieter, with an exceptional range of equipment that gives you more opportunities to create a personalized workout routine—on your own or with one of our expert trainers. All of the requisite machines and stations are here: treadmills, elliptical trainers, cross trainers, rowing machines, stair climbers, arc trainers, upright and recumbent bikes, plus a full line of strength and resistance equipment and an extensive free weight area. Whatever you’ve built your routine on, it’s here. And there’s more. Stages Studio Pro Plus Cycling. A Pilates Reformer Training Studio. A dedicated functional training space on the turf. 

Take a free tour. You’ll feel the difference from the moment you walk in.

Our popular Group Exercise program is another big reason why Park Fitness is not your typical workout place. Classes are held in the Gymnasium (that’s right, we have a full gym and a track), in the specialized Group Ex Studio, Mind/Body Studio, and Spin Studio. We have Aqua Fit classes—because we have a pool!—and we hold some group classes outdoors, where nature helps move your personal growth to a whole new level. Take a deep breath. That’s fresh air!

“Park Fitness is so much more than a name change,” said Jodi DiTomasso, our long-time Fitness Manager—who members all know as the heart and soul of the facility. “It represents a new era in our commitment to the health and well-being of the community. Our robust group exercise program features awide range of formats, from yoga to high-intensity interval training.” You can add these classes to your basic membership, or sign up for them as exclusive offerings. Jodi added, “Flexibility and variety are key to creating a routine you’ll stay with as you get healthier and stronger.” 

“Whether you’re shooting hoops on our two full-court basketball courts, swimming laps in our 6-lane 25-yard pool, or joining one of our group exercise classes, there’s truly no better place to meet friends and stay active together,” said Jodi.

From the warm welcome as you come into the lobby, to the friendly assistance from our team members with memberships, program registrations, and daily drop-ins, to the expertise of our instructors, Park Fitness will be the place where you connect healthy activities and socialization on the road to a better life. Start your journey today on our website, with a call, or a tour. 

Until next time… we’ll see you around the parks!