The Park District of Highland Park’s competitive gymnastics team had an incredible showing at the 2025 AAU State Meet, held May 3 in Romeoville, IL. Our talented athletes competed with passion, poise, and power, bringing home top finishes and showcasing the strength of our program.

Leading the charge was Shay Kessel, who delivered a stellar performance to become the All-Around Champion in the Senior B division. Shay also claimed individual state titles on Vault and Floor, standing proudly atop the podium.

Teammate Naomi Mandel impressed with a 2nd place finish on Beam, and strong placements on Vault (4th), Floor (4th), and All-Around (5th).

Kelsey Woelfle rounded out the Level 3 success with a 2nd place finish on Floor and 7th in the All-Around (Senior A division).

Our Level 4 gymnasts also brought home a slew of Top 10 finishes:

• Canella Papakos placed 4th on Beam, 6th on Bars, and 5th on Floor and All-Around in the Senior A division.
• In the Senior B division, Elise Martin secured a 9th place finish on Beam.
• Lena Whittman took 5th on Vault, while
• Noa Schwab earned 5th on Bars and 6th on Floor.
• Olivia Rogic had a strong all-around showing, placing 7th on Vault, 5th on Beam and Floor, and 7th in the All-Around.

We’re incredibly proud of all our athletes and their hard work leading up to this event. Their dedication, sportsmanship, and team spirit truly stood out on the state stage.

Spring is the time of year you may notice dandelions popping up in our parks.  You might wonder why the Park District doesn’t do something about all those yellow flowers.  Letting them bloom is one way we keep our parks at their healthiest. Though not a complete source of nutrition for bee pollinators, dandelions also fill in early spring food source gaps.

As part of our best management practices, we aim to avoid spraying lawn chemicals to eliminate what some might deem an unsightly nuisance.   Instead, the yellow blooms can open to their glory across our parks.  Once the grass is long enough, crews will mow the dandelions giving our parks a more uniform “green grass” appearance.  

The Park District of Highland Park was one of the first Park Districts in Illinois to adopt an Environmental Policy which includes maintaining our parks, facilities and natural areas in a manner that enhances and protects the environment by minimizing the adverse impact on air and water quality. This includes “Integrated Pest Management” practices that minimize chemical use in favor of other management efforts such as careful mowing, aeration and–in the case of dandelions–working with nature to provide healthy places to play.

Before heading out to your favorite Park District of Highland Park facility on Easter Sunday, check out our hours!

March 12: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

The Lakota Group, aQity Research and Insights, and BerryDunn held a kickoff meeting for the Greenprint Master Plan Update on February 24, 2025 with staff and the Park Board Master Planning Project liaisons. Staff provided a progress update on the Master Plan progress.

Staff provided construction updates for the development of Club Pickle and Padel, the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements, and Sunset Woods Park Improvements. 

March 18: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff reviewed the request for proposals for the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License.  

Staff reviewed the bids via NIMEC (Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative) and Satori Energy for electricity rates for the entire District.

Staff would like to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the Glencoe Park District. Staff reviewed the proposed terms.

Staff reviewed and provided contractor recommendations for the Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Bid, the Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation Bid, the Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement Bids.

Several maintenance vehicles and equipment have met their useful lives and need to be replaced. Staff reviewed the recommended vehicle and equipment purchases.

March 19: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the Rejection of the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Replacement Bids, the Purchase of 2025 Capital Replacement Tractor, the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Weeding & Landscape Services Bid, the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – South Route Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – North Route Bid, the 2025 Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement, the Dynegy Energy Services, LLC Electric Service Agreement bid via Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC), the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License Agreement with Judy’s Pizzeria, the Purchase of an Electric Transit Van, and Ordinance 2025-04: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property.

Staff evaluated the 2025 capital plan vehicle replacement list and determined that three 4×4 pick-up trucks have met their useful life and need to be replaced. Staff recommended purchasing three gas-powered trucks through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative. While the purchases were under budget, the Park Board of Commissioners requested staff explore electric vehicle options.

Staff provided an annual report for the Recreation Center of Highland Park comparing budgeted vs actual programming revenues, expenses, and membership utilization.

The Park Board of Commissioners went into closed session pursuant to Section 2(c)1: The employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body. The Park Board of Commissioners reconvened into open session and approved a six-month contract extension to the Employment Agreement for the Executive Director and a new Employment Agreement for the Executive Director.

For kids, some of summer’s most wonderful adventures happen outdoors. In the woods. On a trail. At the beach. Around a campfire. At your Park District, all of those sights, sounds, and experiences are possible at our popular Nature Camps. Registration is in full swing, and these camps fill fast. (Girl’s Outdoor Challenge already has a waitlist!)

If you’re new to camp registrations, check out Allie’s Crash Course in Camp Registration, and you’ll be an expert in no time.

There’s plenty of information about these exciting Nature Camps, but we also get requests to put it all in one place. So, here we go. (No sunscreen required).

If playing with friends on the beach along the shore of Lake Michigan, swimming almost every day, building towering sandcastles, seeing how the tides change the landscape, and finding newly uncovered treasures sounds like your kind of summer, then this is your camp.

Each week has a different theme that includes a local field trip, swimming lessons at Hidden Creek AquaPark, and fun activities like meeting live animals, creating one-of-a-kind artwork, fishing, scavenger hunts at The Preserve and so much more of what the Park District has to offer.

“One of the very special things that these campers get to experience at Rosewood Beach is seeing bullfrogs in the ravine… and hearing them sing!,” said Meghan Meredith, Program Manager at Heller Nature Center. Now there’s a memory that will last a lifetime!

High Tide, Low Tide is for rising 1^st and 2^nd graders. New this year, you can register for one week at a time, to fit your family’s vacation schedule. Register for four weeks or more and you’ll get a discount. But as you know, “Time and Tide Wait For No Man,” so sign up soon!

Eight great weeks await, each with its own nature-focused theme! And yes, this year you can pick the weeks that fit your schedule.

Designed for all kids ages 8–11, this camp is chock full of all the exciting activities that make summer camp so memorable. Encouraged by our experienced, caring counselors, every camper enjoys the healthy physical and mental play that inspires creativity every day. Outdoor fun includes wandering through the woods at Heller Nature Center and finding wildlife large and very small. Geocaching—those mini treasure hunts using GPS—is always a camp favorite. There’s lots of exploring at The Preserve and Danny Cunniff Park, learning about nature close up with unique and fascinating activities like pond dipping (don’t knock it ’til you’ve dipped!), fishing, and canoeing. We travel to some of the best indoor adventure sites for rock climbing and more on weekly field trips.

If being outdoors in summer means nature-based activities with a team of like-minded adventurers (rather than a team of sports enthusiasts), check out the wide world of nature that comes your way in this special camp. As Meghan says, “You never know what wonders you’ll find when you turn over that next log!”

Take your summer camp experience to the next level as you take on the challenges that come with the team building, fire building, life-skills building, and confidence building activities at the core of this 3-week camp for ages 11–14. Mark Bryant, Heller’s Naturalist and host of our popular video series  “Wild Insights with Mark Bryant” leads campers as they boldly go into the woods, tackle the Teams Course, climb the crates, discover their hidden strengths—leadership, communication, empathy, ziplining, axe throwing(!)—and prepare for the overnight camping trips in weeks 2 and 3.

Every exciting week also includes paddle sports at the Skokie Lagoons, tips and tricks of successful outdoor cooking—including those new fire-building skills—learning to connect with the great outdoors in real-time, and gaining a whole new perspective on the world.

The featured events are, of course, the overnight camping trips. This year, in week 2, we’re off to Pratt Wayne Woods, the largest Forest Preserve in DuPage County for outdoor exploring, bonding with new friends, and a fun night of live-fire cooking—and s’mores!

During Week 3 our overnight is at the beautiful Chain O’ Lakes State Park, with exceptional hiking trails, abundant fishing, and wildlife at every turn. Outdoor cooking, campfire fun, and creating lasting friendships are the hallmarks of why kids come back year after year.

Don’t wait. Sign up for these adventures before they’re gone!

You can find out about these camps, and dozens more, 24/7 on our website. Summer’s coming and our counselors are ready. All we need is you!

Until next time… See you around the parks!

Are you ready to write the next chapter for your Park District? Our parks, trails, and recreation facilities are more than just places—they are the heart of Highland Park. These vibrant spaces bring families together, offer children a place to play, provide athletes with grounds to compete, and allow everyone a chance to connect and find community. The Park District of Highland Park is excited to launch the New GreenPrint Master Planning project — a community-based process to continue enhancing the quality of life in Highland Park and respond to your needs.

The GreenPrint Master Planning team will gather resident ideas, aspirations, and concerns at the Egg Hunt events at Sunset Woods Park on Saturday, April 5 from 9:30-11am, and at the Recreation Center of Highland Park from 11:30am-1pm.

The New GreenPrint Master Plan is our commitment to ensuring that our beloved parks and recreation system continues to serve everyone, now and into the future. Your voice is crucial in shaping a future that keeps our community at its best.

The Park Board and project team broke ground on Wednesday, March 12, for the new recreation center at West Ridge Park. The center will feature a 10,000-square-foot gymnastics gym, a 1,500-square-foot dance studio, three state-of-the-art childhood enrichment rooms, a community gathering room, and an event lawn.  

“Together we are building an extraordinary recreation center, more importantly we are building community,” said Park Board President Cal Bernstein. “Residents of all ages will fill these spaces to build life skills, friendships, and lasting memories that will sustain for generations to come.”

Estimated completion of the new recreation center at West Ridge Park is early 2026.

February 12: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

Canceled due to the weather.

February 21: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff reviewed Ordinance #2025-02, An Ordinance Amending the Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2024 that will transfer a total of $145,000 from Recreation Fund Item Type 610, Salaries and Wages to Recreation Fund Item Types 680, Cost of Goods Sold, 650, Maintenance & Landscaping, and 720, Capital Outlay, in the amounts of $36,000, $100,000, and $10,000, respectively; plus  a transfer of $20,000 from General Fund Item Type 610, Salaries and Wages to General Fund Item Type 660, Utilities; lastly, a transfer of $18,459.28 from Special Recreation Fund Item Type 620, Contractual Services to Special Recreation Fund Item Type 720, Capital Outlay. 

Staff reviewed Resolution 2025-02 to allow the bidding of electricity for the District from Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative and Satori Energy.  

Staff provided construction updates for the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Club Pickle and Padel, and the Recreation Center of Highland Park (landscaping plan for shared parking lot located at 1207 Park Avenue West, emergency repairs due to flooding, and the proposal from Williams Architects to provide architectural and engineering services for Phase Two of the locker room renovation).

Staff reviewed and provided contractor recommendations for the Park Avenue Dredging bid results and the Larry Fink Tot Lot Renovation bid results.

February 24: Master Planning Committee Meeting

The Lakota Group (designers, planners, and communication experts), aQity Research and Insights (survey consultant), and BerryDunn (Recreation Services Assessment consultant) held a kickoff meeting for the Greenprint Master Plan Update.

February 26: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 Park Avenue Dredging Project Bid, the 2025 Larry Fink Tot Lot Renovation Bid, the New Recreation Facility at West Ridge Park Construction Material Testing Proposal, the Williams Architects Recreation Center of Highland Park Locker Room Shower Area Remodeling Proposal, Ordinance 2025-02 An Ordinance Amending the Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2024, Ordinance 2025-03: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, and Resolution 2025-02 Authorizing the Purchase of Electricity for Park District Facilities and Meters and Authorizing the Director to Approve a Contract with the Lowest Cost Electricity Provider for a period up to 3 years.

Staff provided an annual report for Heller Nature Center and the Rosewood Interpretive Center comparing budgeted vs actual programming revenues, expenses, and participant utilization.

January 8: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff shared the AIA Agreement and the Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment between the Park District of Highland Park and the construction manager, W.B. Olsen, for the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park. Park District Legal Counsel, Ancel Glink, and representatives from W.B. Olsen, attended tonight’s meeting to answer any questions regarding language, terms, and conditions in the AIA Agreement and the Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment.

January 15: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the GMP Amendment with W.B. Olson for construction of the new recreation center at West Ridge Park in the amount of $15,050,498.

Staff reviewed the Club Pickle and Padel app which has been released to Deer Creek Racquet Club Members, Recreation Center of Highland Park Members, and Danny Cunniff park outdoor court users to promote the new facility, outdoor court reservations at Danny Cunniff Park, membership options, upcoming clinics and events. Staff are promoting the app through ParkLine, the PDHP website, and social media channels to attract new members.

Staff provided construction updates for development of Club Pickle and Padel, the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, emergency repairs for the Recreation Center of Highland Park and Signage for 1207 Park Avenue West, Park Avenue South Parking Lot restoration and updated Signage for the Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility.

January 28: Finance Committee Meeting

The Park District received two proposals in response to the 2025 Master Plan Review and Revision Request for Proposals issued in November 2024. The purpose of the RFP is to hire a consultant to update the existing PDHP master Plan to provide direction on future planning initiatives for the next 5-10 years. Staff reviewed the proposals.

Staff reviewed the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract with Landscape Structures, Inc., to purchase playground equipment for Larry Fink Park.

On December 2, 2024, The Recreation Center of Highland Park experienced a leak in a water line that feeds one of the water fountains on the fitness floor. The water damage and subsequent property loss was substantial. Since fitness flooring has long lead time to procure staff ordered the replacement flooring on January 16 in effort to reopen the facility as soon as possible.  Staff will be requesting approval of a Resolution at the Regular Meeting of the Park Board, ratifying the waiving of competitive bidding for the procurement of materials for emergency restoration and preservation measures.

January 29: Regular Meeting of the Board

A public hearing was held for the 2025 budget.

The Park Board of Commissioners approved a Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for Playground Equipment for Larry Fink Park, Resolution 2025-01 Ratifying the Waiving of Competitive Bidding for the Procurement of Materials for Emergency Restoration and Preservation Measures, Ordinance 2025-01: Combined Budget and Appropriation Beginning January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, and a Professional Services Agreement with the Lakota Group for Master Plan Development. 

Staff provided an end of season report for Highland Park Golf Learning Center and Sunset Valley Golf Club comparing budgeted vs actual revenues, expenses, and utilization.

The Park Board of Commissioners released a portion of the Closed Session minutes from August 21, 2024 (Pertaining to Section 2(c)21). The Closed Session minutes from July 17, 2024 Workshop Meeting, August 14, 2024 Facility and recreation Committee Meeting, a portion of the August 21, 2024 Workshop Meeting, August 28, 2024 Regular Meeting, October 30, 2024 Regular Meeting, and November 13, 2024 Regular Meeting shall not be released for public inspection since the need for confidentiality still exists as to all or part of those minutes.