As we are beginning to think about pulling out our snow boots and parkas from the back of the closet, our parks department has already been working hard to prepare our parks for the winter chill. Their year-round commitment ensures that our parks remain inviting and well-maintained for everyone to enjoy! Check out their winter to-do list.

Throughout the fall, our parks crews complete leaf-clearing and mulching at all our 44 parks. The mulch protects the grounds and plant life during the colder months. Weather permitting, crews aerate, seed, and sod to contribute to the health and vitality of the parks. Teak benches are brought in for refinishing to preserve their longevity. In addition, the team conducts a thorough inventory of picnic tables throughout the parks, collecting those in need of repair. New tables are constructed when necessary, ensuring well-maintained and sturdy seating options.

In November, the staff spends two to three days preparing the Danny Cunniff Park sled hill for winter fun by removing rocks and filling any holes. They are also fencing in the driving range at the Highland Park Golf Learning Center in preparation for the Winter Dog Park. At the same time, another crew is installing the hockey boards in preparation for the outdoor rink at Sunset Woods Park. Once the temperature drops to below-freezing for five consecutive days, the crew strategically floods the frozen ground 24 hours a day over 5-6 days to create a thick ice floor.

Winter is an opportune time for tree maintenance & tree trimming to promote the long-term health of our parks’ beautiful trees, particularly our beautiful oak trees. Crews also take this opportunity to remove buckthorn and other invasive species. This eco-conscious effort aims to preserve the natural biodiversity of the parks, promoting a healthy and balanced ecosystem.

In the early spring, the crews meticulously take down the sled hill, Winter Dog Park, and hockey boards at Sunset Woods. Benches and picnic tables are also placed back in our beautiful parks, signaling a seamless transition from winter to spring and preparing the parks for the warmer seasons.

We’re thrilled to welcome Deb Jenssen to the Centennial Ice Arena family as our dynamic Skating Coordinator! With a lifelong love for figure skating, Deb brings a wealth of experience and a contagious passion for the ice. Dive into her journey – from the early days of preschool skating in Rolling Meadows to winning National Championships with the first Starlight team. Deb’s commitment to teaching shines through as she shares a glimpse into her story and aspirations!

What is your background and what inspired you to become a skating coordinator at Centennial Ice Arena?

I grew up skating in Rolling Meadows during preschool. As I grew older, my coach asked me if I wanted to try out for Barrington’s Precision Team, now called Synchro. I skated on the first Starlight team in the area, winning many National Championships. During that time, I also skated Freestyle and Figures.  I enjoy teaching others and love seeing skaters take pride in their skating achievements.

Can you share a bit about your own journey in figure skating and how it led you to teaching?

I have always been passionate about skating. I have three cousins who skated and two who are now coaches in the area. I always enjoyed (and still do) watching skating shows and competitions. I began volunteering for Northwest Special Recreation Association’s Learn to Skate Program during college. After becoming a staff member, I helped develop their competitive skating program. Working with skaters with disabilities has taught me to be a better coach. 

What’s your favorite thing about teaching figure skating to aspiring skaters?

I really enjoy seeing the growth within skaters! Growth can be so tiny or so big! 

Have you set any goals or visions for the skaters you’ll be working with at Centennial Ice Arena?

I would love to grow the skating programs in Highland Park. Whether you are just learning or an expert skater! Skating is really for all!

Finally, what message would you like to share with the community about the joys and benefits of figure skating?

Skating is a whole-body sport! Studies have shown that doing sports like skating can help connect the two sides of the brain work together. What is great about skating is it can be an all-ages sport. You can begin at three and skate till you are 100! Skating also has so many different aspects to it: Basic, Freestyle, Ice Dancing, Pairs, and Synchronized Skating.

At the December 2023 meeting, the Park Board of Commissioners approved a renovation project to modernize the existing baseball field at Larry Fink Memorial Park. The newly renovated field will serve as a regional destination with improved amenities for the players and spectators and reduced maintenance requirements. 

The new turf will more than triple the number of usable hours of the field each year and reduce the cost of maintenance by more than 50% every year over its projected 10-year lifespan. Hundreds of hours of play are lost each year due to flooding of the current grass field. This project is part of a larger Park District Athletic Fields Master Plan, which includes long-term plans to renovate the athletic fields and Danny Cunniff Park and Sunset Woods Park. 

The project costs $1.02 million and will be funded with $500,000 from the Park District’s Capital Fund and the remainder from community donations. The groundbreaking is expected in Spring 2024, with completion in Summer 2024.

The Board also approved naming the new ballpark Jeff Fox Field, after longtime Highland Park resident Jeff Fox. It’s a wonderful story of how much the park, especially baseball, meant to Jeff and his family. See article here.

The ball field renovation is being funded with $500,000 from the Park District’s Capital Fund, with the balance paid through donations. To help fund the project, a group of dedicated community members formed a fundraising committee called the Giants Athletic Boosters, an affiliate of the Parks Foundation of Highland Park. To date, the Boosters have raised $453,000. The boosters only need to raise $49,000 to reach their goal.

Learn more about the ball field renovation and ways that you can donate now to be a part of the project.

When he heard that the ballfield at Larry Fink Memorial Park was being considered for a complete make-over, Corey Fox knew this was the perfect project to be involved with. He, his twin brother Ryan, and their older sister Lisa grew up across the street from the park. It wasn’t just a park to them. It was the park. When they were young kids, it was their park.

The Fox family, neighbors, and friends spent many days and nights at Fink Park playing on the swing sets, fishing, and playing baseball. Forty years ago, they played soccer, T-ball, and basketball and were part of the park district leagues. They went to classes and activities at West Ridge Center. They were what we happily call ‘Park District kids.’ Like many Highland Park families, Corey, Ryan, and Lisa went to Highland Park schools–Edgewood and HPHS–left for college and returned to their hometown. And now their kids have played all those sports and enjoyed our classes and camps. The circle is unbroken. It holds Lisa’s son Simon and daughter Harper, and Corey’s son Noah and daughters Emma and Mila. “They live at the parks —the parks are a huge part of their lives,” said Lisa. The same has been true for three generations in the Fox family. We love hearing that. It’s why we do what we do.  

For Lisa, Ryan, and Corey, Fink Park is a place that brings back great memories of family, friendship, community, and, of course, of their father, Jeff. So it’s fitting that when the opportunity arose to help with the renovation of the ballfield in that special park, the Fox family rose to the occasion—and fitting as well that the Park Board has approved “Jeff Fox Field” as the name of the new ballpark.

Jeff Fox passed away in 2021. When he was quite ill and in the last few months of his life, he would still go to the ballfield so he wouldn’t miss a baseball game that Noah was playing in. “Nothing would bring Dad more joy than watching Noah pitch in a game at Fink Park,” the family told us. Everything had come full circle.

Jeff Fox with grandson, Noah

Corey, Ryan, and Lisa are all very clear about the project’s meaning to the family. It’s not simply about it being named Jeff Fox Field. In fact, according to Ryan, “Dad might not have agreed to have a field named after him, but he loved what this particular field meant to him. Togetherness, family, having fun, making friends, and community.” “And baseball was dad’s passion and such a big part of who he was.” For the family, it’s all about being able to help create something that everyone can enjoy as much as they did.

Lisa spoke for her brothers, saying, “He gave us all an amazing childhood. This was our park, and we wanted it to be a special place for the next generation of families. We wanted dad’s legacy to be symbolized by what was most important to him, which was bringing people together and building relationships. This project was a really unique way to make that happen.”

All of us at your Park District thank the Fox family and their supporters for their commitment, and we’re grateful to everyone supporting this important ballfield renovation. You are a big part of what makes this a great community.

learn more about the Jeff Fox Field at Larry Fink Memorial Park

See you around the parks!

All programs will run as scheduled and all facilities will be open.

Friday, January 12 at 4pm

Programs will run as scheduled this evening and facilities will remain open as scheduled.

Friday, January 12 at 1pm

The following adjustments have been made to our late afternoon and early evening (3:30pm – 6pm) programming:

At 4pm, the Park District will reevaluate other later evening programs and activities based on weather conditions. Updates will be sent out via email and posted on our website and social media.

Friday, January 12 at 11am

The following adjustments have been made to our programming:

At 3:30pm, the Park District will reevaluate the evening programs and activities based on weather conditions. Updates will be sent out via email and will be posted on our website and social media.

Stay safe.

Thursday, January 11 at 6pm

Due to predicted severe weather conditions and for the safety of our residents and employees, on Friday, January 12, the following adjustments have been made to our programming:

At 10am, the Park District will reevaluate the day’s afternoon and evening schedules based on weather conditions. Updates will be sent out via email and will be posted on our website and social media.

Stay safe.

Click here for a complete description of our Emergency Closing Policy.

For information on road conditions and road closures, please visit https://www.lakecountypassage.com/index.jsp.

Designed to assist migrants, who recently have been arriving via buses from Texas to Highland Park, while they await transfer to the Chicago Processing Center, the “Take Care” Packages will be a tangible expression of our community’s care for others.

Items Needed

Non-Perishable Food/Drink: Bottled water, granola bars, dried fruits and nuts, and packaged healthy snacks

Hygiene Products: Toothbrushes/toothpaste, soap/shampoo (travel size), feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby wipes, and hand sanitizer and wet wipes

Clothing: Hats, gloves, socks, and underwear

First Aid Kit: Bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and face masks

General: Reusable water bottles and flashlights with extra batteries

Communications: Basic travel translation guides or dictionaries, and prepaid phone cards

Comfort Items: Children’s books, magazines, or puzzle books (Spanish language), and stuffed animals

Gift cards for grocery stores or pharmacies (please do not drop-off at Park District sites)

Drop-Off Locations

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 8pm this evening to midnight on Tuesday night. Wet snow accumulations from 5-8 inches are expected with wind gusts as high as 35 mph Tuesday night. We encourage our residents to be careful when driving. Hazardous road conditions could impact the Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening commute.  

If weather conditions impact Park District programs, we will share updated information on our website, social media, and in our emails. Please follow our Facebook or sign up for our e-newsletters for updates.  

We endeavor to keep our facilities and programs operating whenever possible. There are times, however, when weather, road conditions, or facility malfunctions dictate that programs and/or services must be canceled, or temporarily postponed or entire facilities closed. Click here for a complete description of our Emergency Closing Policy.

For information on road conditions and road closures, please visit https://www.lakecountypassage.com/index.jsp.

By: Trainer Amy Hohman

As the cold weather approaches, many outdoor exercisers dread the idea of moving their workouts indoors. The following tips may help:

We are happy to report that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Park District of Highland Park for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.  This is the 34th consecutive year the Park District has received the award.  The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

Residents may drop off their holiday trees for recycling at the Park District at two convenient locations:

Drop-off locations within the parks are in posted areas of parking lots. Trees must be free of decorations, wires, or any other materials.

Trees will be chipped for use as woodchips, which may be picked up and used for residents’ gardens and landscapes. Trees will be accepted for recycling through January 21, 2024.

For more information, contact Glenn Nance, Parks Landscape Manager at [email protected] or 847.579.4175.