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As part of our series of articles for this year’s National Recreation & Park Association theme “Where You Belong”, we had a delightful conversation with Rachel Howard about her family’s experience with park district programs.
Rachel Howard is one of our most favorite people to talk with about the Park District, and especially about how her daughter Mia loves ParkSchool. The other day we got the latest on all things Mia, and learned a little about her brother Sam as well.
Last year when we talked with Rachel, Mia had just finished the school year as a Sapling. Now, Mia is 5 and a proud graduate of the Mighty Oaks preschool program. How is she doing? “She’s great! She went 5 days a week in the mornings,” said Rachel. “The program is fantastic. Miss Ginny and Miss Samia are incredible with the kids. It’s such a well-structured program that really gets the kids ready for Kindergarten. I’ve been so impressed with Mia’s growth, her independence, and how proud she was of the work she came home with. That’s been the most exciting thing—to see the pride she takes in the activities and all of the projects.” Being proud of what you’ve done. We couldn’t ask for a better outcome from Mia’s ParkSchool experience. Rachel continued, “Mia’s teachers have prepared her so well for the transition to Kindergarten. They really set the kids up for success as they enter elementary school.”
Our Miss Ginny retired in June after an incredible 39 years of making little lives better. You can read more about her in this story. Ask any Mighty Oaks parent, and they’ll tell you that Miss Samia continues to be amazing!
We talked about Mia making new friends and new connections at Mighty Oaks. “Yes! There were old friends who she had been with the year before, and there were lots of new friends this year as well.” ParkSchool kids tend to stay in the program. The smaller class sizes, the structure, and the connections to other families make it a place where everyone truly feels they belong. “Mia wants all of the kids in her class and her teachers to be with her when she goes to Kindergarten, because there is this warmth and sense of belonging to a community.” Well, we hope her friends go with her, but her teachers… not so much!
Did Mia do other Park District programs? “Yes!” (You can hear the smile.) “She did a Sports class, a Cooking class, and a Ceramics class after school at West Ridge. It’s so nice because she can stay at school and there’s a ‘bridge’ program where she played for a bit after Mighty Oaks. Then the teachers transition the kids to their after school classes, so parents don’t have to go back and forth.” How did Mia like those classes? “The Sports class (KidoKinetics) was great fun because they did some unique sports like Lacrosse and Pickleball. She also did Gymnastics on the weekends (at Centennial), which she loved.” We think “Keeping up with Mia” would make a great podcast!
“She’s formed a very strong bond with her friends and her teachers.” Connections, many of them lifelong, are what get built at your Park District. It truly is a place where you belong.
What’s next for the family? “My son Sam is 2½ and is in the Tot Stop camp this summer. He’s also done Gymnastics,” (at that age mostly tumbling, running, falling down), “and we love the Music class! We’re also registered for ParkSchool in the fall, so Sam will be a Sprout!”
That’s how the traditions continue and the connections grow at your Park District. We would love for you and your family to join us and be a part of everything we do. We invite you to share your stories with us. Right now, you can find all of our summer programs, activities, and events 24/7 on our website.
Looking for exciting activities for your kids on no-school days? Our Fall Fun Days offer a variety of engaging programs to keep them entertained and active. Join us for a few days full of fun and adventure.
The STREAM Explorers School Day Off program offers a fun and educational day for children when school is out. Split between Heller Nature Center and West Ridge Center, this program features a variety of activities in Science, Technology, Recreation, Environment, Art, and more.
Children will start their day at West Ridge Center, where they will be bussed to Heller Nature Center to explore environmental science projects, interactive nature walks, and creative art activities. Later, they will be bussed back to West Ridge Center for hands-on technology projects, recreational games, and art experiences, where they will also be picked up.
The program provides a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor activities to keep children engaged and entertained throughout the day. It’s an ideal way for kids to spend a school day off, having fun and exploring new interests.
Locations: Children will start and end their day at West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Rd, as well as spend part of the day at Heller Nature Center, 2821 Ridge Rd
The STREAM Explorers School Day Off program offers a fun and educational day for children when school is out. Split between Heller Nature Center and West Ridge Center, this program features a variety of activities in Science, Technology, Recreation, Environment, Art, and more.
Children will start their day at West Ridge Center, where they will be bussed to Heller Nature Center to explore environmental science projects, interactive nature walks, and creative art activities. Later, they will be bussed back to West Ridge Center for hands-on technology projects, recreational games, and art experiences, where they will also be picked up.
The program provides a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor activities to keep children engaged and entertained throughout the day. It’s an ideal way for kids to spend a school day off, having fun and exploring new interests.
Locations: Children will start and end their day at West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Rd, as well as spend part of the day at Heller Nature Center, 2821 Ridge Rd
The STREAM Explorers School Day Off program offers a fun and educational day for children when school is out. Split between Heller Nature Center and West Ridge Center, this program features a variety of activities in Science, Technology, Recreation, Environment, Art, and more.
Children will start their day at West Ridge Center, where they will be bussed to Heller Nature Center to explore environmental science projects, interactive nature walks, and creative art activities. Later, they will be bussed back to West Ridge Center for hands-on technology projects, recreational games, and art experiences, where they will also be picked up.
The program provides a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor activities to keep children engaged and entertained throughout the day. It’s an ideal way for kids to spend a school day off, having fun and exploring new interests.
Locations: Children will start and end their day at West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Rd, as well as spend part of the day at Heller Nature Center, 2821 Ridge Rd
The STREAM Explorers School Day Off program offers a fun and educational day for children when school is out. Split between Heller Nature Center and West Ridge Center, this program features a variety of activities in Science, Technology, Recreation, Environment, Art, and more.
Children will start their day at West Ridge Center, where they will be bussed to Heller Nature Center to explore environmental science projects, interactive nature walks, and creative art activities. Later, they will be bussed back to West Ridge Center for hands-on technology projects, recreational games, and art experiences, where they will also be picked up.
The program provides a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor activities to keep children engaged and entertained throughout the day. It’s an ideal way for kids to spend a school day off, having fun and exploring new interests.
Locations: Children will start and end their day at West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Rd, as well as spend part of the day at Heller Nature Center, 2821 Ridge Rd
You write the story! Choose your own path in this adventure series as we explore role playing and rolling the dice to see which way our story will go. Use your imagination to write which direction our story will go and act it out.
This is a drop off program. Pre-registration required. Program is outdoors so please dress for the weather. Participants also attending Superheroes may bring a peanut-free sack lunch and stay at Rosewood between programs.
Location: Rosewood Beach, 883 Sheridan Rd
Soar through the air, use your mighty strength, and explore your own super powers! Superheroes are everywhere, see what wild animals also have super powers just like those in the comics. Then explore how you too have your own super human powers.
This is a drop off program. Pre-registration required. Program is outdoors so please dress for the weather. Participants also attending Once Upon A… may bring a peanut-free sack lunch and stay at Rosewood between programs.
Location: Rosewood Beach, 883 Sheridan Rd
To celebrate Parks and Recreation Month, we are featuring a series of personal stories that exemplify the value Parks and Recreation brings to our lives.
Jami Buss is well-known to many of you as a member of our Registration Team at the Recreation Center. Great smile, always welcoming, and a wealth of knowledge about all things Park District. Lots of you also know her husband, Michael Buss, who has been an Instructor at the Fitness Club for almost 9 years. His Group Fitness classes are very popular. The family connections to the District go even deeper: their three sons are all park district kids, just like Jami was as she grew up in Highland Park. Her memories are the perfect place to start her story. Here we go.
Talking to Jami reinforces why this Park District has been so important to residents for their entire lives. “One of my fondest memories, from when I was just 5 years old, is going to Safety Village,” said Jami. “In those days, it was in the parking lot at Centennial Ice Arena.” Safety Village is still going strong at West Ridge. “Our kids went, and they loved it!”
“I grew up near Centennial, and we enjoyed ice skating and the shows. That area was such a great place to explore. We did lots of hiking and fishing, and of course, sledding in the winter. When I was in Middle School, sometimes we would just hang out at the Ice Arena. It was always great fun, and looking back, I realize how important it was to all of us kids.” That’s what we do at your Park District—provide safe, fun places where kids and families connect and make their own memories.
Flash forward. About 12 years ago, Jami joined the Fitness Club and continued a lifetime journey of healthy activities. Belonging to a club, connecting with Highland Park residents, and making new friends is one of the most important ways to stay physically and mentally fit. It’s a big part of what we offer every day. “My kids would come with me when they were 2 and 4, and play in the babysitting room while I worked out,” Jami related. Those two kids were Leo, now 15, and Henry, 13. “When Leo was 2 and 3 years old, he also went to Mommy’s Morning Away at West Ridge,” Jami said. “The teachers were wonderful!”
Samson, who is 8, rounds out the family. All three boys enjoy many of our year-round and seasonal programs: Baseball and Football, Sports Camps and Summer Camps, and especially Into the Wild Lakeshore, where campers explore nature, go swimming and dig into beachcombing as part of their summer adventures. “During Covid, living near Sunset Woods Park, the outdoor resources became extra important to our family,” said Jami, “and as things opened up, we all realized what amazing programs and opportunities the Park District offers the community. It’s one of the reasons I came to work here a year ago, and now helping other people get connected to the Park District is one of the true joys of my job.”
We can tell you that it’s a joy just to be around Jami, and we’re grateful to have her as part of our family.
We would love to hear your personal and family stories. Send us a wonderful memory or two that we can share. Until then… See you around the parks!
Architects Holabird and Root presented three (3) schematic designs for the New Recreation Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park. Staff received consensus from the Committee to use Building Option F to submit an application for design and review.
The Park Board of Commissioners adopted the Beach and Boating Safety Week Proclamation declaring May 18 – 24 as Highland Park Beach and Boating Safety Week.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved the WJE Evaluation of Footings Change Order #1 and authorized the Executive Director to increase the professional services contract from $24,900 to $32,477.
Staff provided construction project updates for the Lot 3 Paddle Facility, construction at the Recreation Center of Highland Park, locker room improvements at Deer Creek Racquet Club, improvements at Jeff Fox Baseball Field, improvements at Lincoln Park, renovation to the Playground at Upper Rosewood, renovation to the 2-5-Year-Old Playground at Larry Fink Park, and improvements at Sunset Woods Park.
There was Action from Closed Session. The Park Board of Commissioners approved a settlement agreement with a former employee.
Architects Holabird and Root reviewed the design and review application for the New Recreation Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park. The Facility and Recreation Committee were pleased with the rendering and schematic design which will be submitted in the application.
Sikich, LLP presented a draft of the Park District’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.
Staff reviewed the bid results for the 2024 Recreation Center Pool Ceiling Painting project, 2024 Cunniff Park 2-5 Playground Resurfacing-Fence Improvements project, 2024 Roof Improvements projects, and the 2024 Deer Creek Racquet Club Parking Lot Improvements project.
Staff reviewed a services proposal with L6 Technology It Support.
Staff shared a fundraising update for the Jeff Fox Baseball Field Campaign.
The City of Highland Park is currently renovating the Highland Park Senior Center. The Park District and City of Highland Park planned to renovate the shared parking lot in 2025. The Park District received an estimated cost from the City of Highland Park for the shared project, and the estimate was significantly higher than anticipated.
Commissioner Bernstein was elected for President of the Park Board and Commissioner Freeman was elected for Vice President.
Executive Director Romes was appointed as Secretary to the Park Board, Coordinator Hejnowski was appointed as Assistant Secretary acting under the general supervisor of the Secretary, Director Peters was appointed as Treasurer, Director Hall was appointed as the District’s IMRF authorized agent, Executive Director Romes, Director Hall, and Coordinator Hejnowski were appointed as Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officers, Executive Director Romes and Coordinator Hejnowski were appointed as Open Meetings Act (OMA) Officers, Executive Director Romes was appointed as the American With Disabilities Act Coordinator (ADA), Sikich, LLP was appointed as the District’s auditor, and Ancel Glink was appointed as the District’s attorney.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved Ordinance 2024-06 providing for the issue of not to exceed $6,445,000 General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds, Series 2024, of the Park District of Highland Park, Lake County, Illinois, for the payment of land for parks, for the building, maintaining, improving and protecting of the same and the existing land and facilities of said Park District and for the payment of the expenses incident thereto, providing for the levy of a direct annual tax to pay the principal and interest on said bonds, and authorizing the sale of said bonds to the purchaser thereof, the 2024 Recreation Center Pool Ceiling Painting Bid, the 2024 Roof Improvements Project Bid, the 2024 Deer Creek Racquet Club Parking Lot Improvements Bid, the 2024 Cunniff Park 2-5 Playground Resurfacing-Fence Improvements Project Bid, and the L6 Technology IT Support Services Proposal.
Staff presented a 5-year athletic trends analysis, comparing female and male participation figures.
Summer is a season of boundless possibilities, and what better way to embrace its warmth and vibrancy than by indulging in the myriad of free events and experiences offered by your Park District?
Below is a listing of our FREE summer events. Additional low-cost events are located on our calendar on the homepage of this website and on our social media channels. Once you have identified events that pique your interest, mark them by clicking on the “Add to Calendar” links on each event’s page. Or, better yet, download the Park District app that allows you to build your own favorite events calendar.
Diversify Your Experience: The beauty of Park District events lies in our diversity. From nature programs and concerts in the parks to fitness classes and drop-in events, there’s something for everyone. Mix and match your activities to keep your summer vibrant and engaging.
Embrace Nature: Summer is the perfect time to immerse yourself in the great outdoors. Take advantage of the Park District’s green spaces, trails, and recreational facilities. Whether you’re picnicking in the park, kayaking on the lake, or simply relaxing on the beach, let nature be your sanctuary.
Engage with the Community: Park District events are not just about recreation; they’re also about fostering community bonds. Strike up conversations with fellow attendees, participate in group activities, and embrace the spirit of camaraderie that these events inspire.
Try Something New: Summer is a season of exploration and self-discovery. Use Park District events as an opportunity to try new things. Whether it’s learning a new dance style, mastering a new sport, or delving into a new hobby, let your curiosity be your guide.
Stay Hydrated and Sun-Safe: As you bask in the summer sun, remember to stay hydrated and protect yourself from harmful UV rays. Carry a reusable water bottle, apply sunscreen liberally, and seek shade during peak sun hours to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Capture Memories: Don’t forget to capture the magic of summer with photos and videos. Document your adventures, from laughter-filled picnics to awe-inspiring sunsets, and cherish these memories for years to come.
Give Back: Consider giving back to your community by volunteering at Park District events or making a donation to our Parks Foundation, your contribution can make a meaningful difference.
Spread the Word: Finally, share your enthusiasm for Park District events with friends, family, and neighbors. By spreading the word, you not only encourage others to join in the fun but also contribute to the collective joy and vibrancy of your community.
With these tips in mind, you’re all set to embark on a summer filled with adventure, connection, and endless possibilities—all at your local Park District. So go ahead, soak up the sunshine, embrace the warmth of the season, and make this summer one to remember!
Moody’s Ratings (Moody’s) has assigned a Aaa to the Park District of Highland Park, IL’s General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds, Series 2024 with a proposed par amount of $6.4 million. Moody’s maintains the district’s Aaa issuer rating and the Aaa rating on the district’s outstanding general obligation limited tax (GOLT) debt. Following the sale, the district will have about $33 million of debt outstanding.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The Aaa issuer rating reflects a large and affluent tax base that benefits from its location near Chicago. The district’s financial position will likely remain strong, supported by growing property tax revenue, sustained increases in program participation, and prudent budget management. Unaudited fiscal 2023 (year-end Dec. 31) results show an increase in fund balance following transfers to a capital project fund and year to date results for fiscal 2024 show mostly stable operations. The district’s long-term leverage will remain modest with no additional debt plans over the next two years.
The Aaa rating on the GOLT bonds is the same as the district’s Aaa issuer rating because of its pledge of all available funds to pay debt service and authority to levy an ad valorem tax that is unlimited as to rate but limited in amount by the district debt service extension base (DSEB).
RATING OUTLOOK
Moody’s typically does not assign outlooks to local governments with this amount of debt.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATING
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING
LEGAL SECURITY
The district’s GOLT bonds are backed by an all available funds pledge of the district and its authority to levy ad valorem property taxes unlimited as to rate but limited by the amount of the district’s Debt Service Extension Base.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Proceeds will fund various facility improvements across the park district’s facilities.
PROFILE
The Park District of Highland Park encompasses the City of Highland Park (Aaa stable) and a small portion of the Village of Deerfield (Aaa stable) and is located about 26 miles north of the City of Chicago (Baa3 positive). The district provides various recreational services to over 30,000 residents.
Staff recommended renaming the Recreation Center of Highland Park to Park Fitness to better promote the brand and all the amenities and programs the facility has to offer. The presentation was to gather feedback from the Board Committee liaisons.
Architects Holabird and Root reviewed the updated schematic layout for the new community center at West Ridge Park and the site changes.
PMA Securities, LLC, recommended the Park District sell General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds this year, and hold a public hearing on April 24, 2024, concerning the intent of the Board of Park Commissioners to sell $7,000,000 General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds.
Staff reviewed the Park Site Plan Initiative Report, which documents the findings and possible recommendations which will inform capital and operational planning.
Staff presented the process proposal for review of the personnel policy manual.
Staff provided construction project updates for the Lat 3 Paddle Facility project, Sunset Valley Club House project, Larry Fink Memorial Park Baseball Field Improvement project, Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements project, Sunset Woods Park Improvements project, and Park Avenue Boating Facility South Parking Lot Restoration project.
PMA Securities, LLC, provided an arbitrage overview and the Park District’s project draw schedule for 2024 bonds and the spend down requirements over a 24month period.
Staff provided a quarterly financial report for Centennial Ice Arena comparing budgeted vs actual revenues and participation figures.
Staff provided a five-year financial analysis report comparing budgeted vs operational and programming revenues and expenses.
Staff reviewed the bid results for the 2024 Sports Courts Improvements project. It was the consensus of the Finance Committee to place the Base Bid Item 2 from US Tennis Court Construction Company for the 2024 Sport Courts Improvement Project and authorize the Executive Director to enter into an agreement in the amount of $34,465.
Staff reviewed the Playground Replacement Bid and the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Playground Equipment at Old Elm Park and Port Clinton Park.
The District is looking at purchasing one (1) John Deere 2700 E Cut Hybrid Triplex Mower and one (1) Toro Groundsmaster 3500-D. There is $108,500 budgeted for this expense. It was the consensus of the Finance Committee to place the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Golf Maintenance Equipment on the consent agenda at the April 24, 204 Regular Meeting.
Staff reviewed the proposed parking lot improvements for Deer Creek Racquet Club and Jeff Fox Field.
The South Parking Lot Restoration project at Park Avenue Boating Facility will not commence until the winter or early spring of 2025 due to piping challenges from the North Shore Water Reclamation Center.
Lamar Johnson Collaborative reviewed community feedback for the Sunset Woods Park Improvements project. Another community meeting will be held in May to review proposed concepts for the skate and wheeled plaza and game and multi-use court area.
A public hearing was held concerning the intent of the board of park commissioners to sell $7,000,000 general obligation limited tax park bonds for the payment of land condemned or purchased for parks, for the building, maintain, improving and protecting of the same and the existing land and facilities of the District and for the payment of the expenses incident thereto.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved 2024 Sport Courts Improvement Project Bid, the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Golf Maintenance Equipment, Authorization for Park District of Highland Park to Enroll in and Purchase from Cooperative Purchasing Program OMNIA Partners, Ordinance 2024-05: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, the 2024 Old Elm and Port Clinton Playground Replacement bid, and the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for Playground Equipment.
Staff received consensus from the Park Board of Commissioners to allow the recommended new name for the Recreation Center of Highland Park to wait for a sixty-day period, as required by Section 4.02.2 of the Park District of Highland Park Policy & Procedure Manual, and a vote be taken to re-name the Recreation Center of Highland Park to Park Fitness at the June 26, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Park Board.
Architects Holabird and Root presented the schematic design for the proposed new building that is based on a schematic budget prepared by WB Olson and a variety of alternate scope additions that do not fall within the Park District’s funding, however, those alternates can be contemplated by staff and the Park Board when competitive bids are received for construction, as well as considered for future construction, if and when funding becomes available.
Staff provided an annual report on athletic programming comparing budgeted vs actual revenues and expenses.
The world can feel so isolating nowadays. Everyone is always on their phone. Working remotely. Everything, down to groceries, is delivered right to our doorstep. What does that mean for our mental well-being?
Humans are social creatures by nature, and social connectedness is crucial to our mental and physical health. Studies going back more than 20 years have shown the positive effects of being connected to a community of any size, and how that results in living a longer, happier life.
And yet, loneliness and social isolation are on the rise.
According to an AARP Research study: “About one-third of U.S. adults age 45 and older report feeling lonely — and the number is growing.” 1 The same study shows that just getting to know one’s neighbors can help reduce loneliness: Nearly twice as many midlife and older adults who have never spoken to their neighbors reported feeling lonely.
So, where can you organically meet people in your community?
Well, as we say: in a park, of course.
The Park District is, in many ways, the beating heart of a community. It’s where connections are formed. We have Park District classes, programs, and events designed to bring people together and form a community no matter what your age or interest. Our after-school programs are a great way that kids from twos to teens meet up and make friends who enjoy the same fun activities, from archery to computer coding to stories around a campfire. Our summer camps offer dozens of ways for kids and teens to connect and bond over sports, nature, gymnastics, art, music, theater, and dance. Each of these camps is a community: a safe space for kids to learn, grow, and create those lifelong friendships. Many of our campers stay with us for years, take their life skills back into their schools, and continue on with us as counselors. It’s an important way that our Park District community grows.
When it comes to fostering friendships, our programs are a great place to start. But these social connections don’t just form in a class that you register for. It’s a group of moms chatting in the hallway as they pick up their children from ParkSchool. Or the parents who end up spending every weekend together watching their kids play baseball. The dog owners who strike up a conversation at the dog park. These spontaneous, organic moments of connection are the true magic of the park district. Down the hall, on the trail, or in the park, there might be a stranger who, in a matter of time, will become a lifelong friend.
1 Loneliness and Social Connections: A National Survey of Adults 45 and Older
Over the next two weeks, high school environmental science students will assist our natural areas department in releasing fish into our ravine streams. The annual release is part of our partnership with the Trout in the Classroom project, allowing students to raise rainbow trout in their classroom and then release the fish into Lake Michigan. We hope that these fish will return in a few years to spawn in our ravines. If they do, that will indicate that the ravines are a healthy habitat for local wildlife.
The fish release is just one of the many responsibilities of the Park District Natural Areas Department. They manage more than 350 acres of prairie, woodlands, ravines, and wetlands, providing residents with more than just open space. They are places for wonder, learning and emerging science. Few towns host ten distinct natural habitats, ranging from the cool-water ravines of the Lake Michigan shore to rare Northern Flatwood communities to the Sedge Meadows of Skokie Valley, each with its distinct community of wildflowers, wildlife, trees and shrubs. In community parks such as Fink and Cunniff, we use native plants in rain gardens, on shorelines, and in ponds to provide beauty, help manage flooding, and control erosion. The Natural Areas team is also an active participant in Great Lakes research projects with scientists from the Shedd Aquarium and work with Highland Park High School and District 112. Students visit our ravine streams to learn about watershed ecology, water monitoring practices, macroinvertebrates, and fish studies. Our outreach programs foster a sense of stewardship for our natural areas, ravines, and lake in our community.
Learn more about our Natural Areas Department.