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The Park District of Highland Park is partnering with SaLT: Service and Learning Together and the Highland Park/Highwood Rotary Club to collect pre-packaged food donations to provide groceries to Highland Park and Highwood families facing food insecurities.
About 21.3% of Highland Park/Highwood residents live in poverty, 18% of residents over 60 years qualify for food stamps, and 22% of elementary school students are classified as low-income with many facing food insecurity, together we can make a meaningful impact in our community.
The existing stairs leading to the Moraine Beach boardwalk are scheduled for repair beginning late fall.
Every day, the lake presents itself differently, from the calm blues and greens of a peaceful morning to the vibrant oranges and pinks of a dramatic sunset. This mural celebrates the lake’s majestic sunrises, reminding those who look upon it of the positivity, creativity, and curiosity invoked by Lake Michigan.
Highland Park-based Christie Russert is the artist behind Sunshine Canteen®. Christie’s work uniquely blends abstract patterns and landscapes and reflects her life, travels, and love of design. Her signature style focuses on vibrant colors, bold patterns, and themes of peace, love, and happiness, evoking a sense of freedom, joy, and a gateway to paradise.
The Moraine Park Mural Project is a partnership between the Park District of Highland Park, The Art Center of Highland Park and the North Shore Water Reclamation District. A design competition was held in February 2023, inviting local artists to propose a design to paint the concrete structures at Moraine Beach. Christie, the winning artist, and her husband Joe worked hard throughout the summer to bring her design to life on the NSWRD structures.
In February, the Park District of Highland Park and The Art Center of Highland Park began seeking submissions to decorate the two concrete structures at Moraine Beach. Artists participated in a design competition and submissions were due in March. Submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges who narrowed down the submissions to two finalists. The finalists’ designs were shared with the community through a survey and then shared with the Park District Board of Commissioners who determined the winning design in April. The winning artist began work in June and completed the murals in August, 2023.
The Park District of Highland Park has an opportunity to establish an agreement with HillCo Investment Properties to build a parking lot that would serve Sunset Woods Park users and residents of the neighboring apartments at 700 Park Ave W. The proposed parking lot would cross lot lines and be partially on the North-East section of Sunset Woods Park and partially on HillCo’s property. The Sunset Woods Park Master plan proposes activating the Northeast section of the park with a garden. The intent of the Park District in considering this opportunity is to provide vehicular and ADA access to this section of the park and to provide more parking spaces during events.
The proposal is expected to appear before the Plan and Design Commission in September.
Join us on Monday, August 21 at 6pm to learn more about the proposed project and share your feedback.
Date: Monday, August 21, 2023
Time: 6pm
Location: West Ridge Center (636 Ridge Rd., Highland Park, IL 60035)
In Part 2 of our 3-part series on “Where Community Grows,” we presented four more stories from members of our community who play, work, make friends, stay fit, and enjoy the real sense of community that the Park District provides. In Part 3, we have more inspirational stories from your friends and neighbors.
Millie Nanus, who is a Mighty Oak, is happy to tell you everything she likes about the ParkSchool program, Safety Village, Imagination Station (“Which was amazing!”), Ice Skating (“I love it!”), and so many more things at the Park District—all while you talk with her mom, Lisa, who grew up in Highland Park and enjoyed the pool and camps. Now, Millie loves gymnastics, and Lisa has done the Mom & Tot gymnastics program with Henry, the youngest. Everyone enjoys the Heller Nature Center, Rosewood Beach (“It’s awesome!”), and the 100 Days of Summer is posted on the refrigerator, of course. The Under the Big Top Dance was a big hit for both Millie and her older sister, Nora, and Lisa liked that this new version is “more inclusive.” This is a family that’s deeply connected to the community through the Park District. Just ask Millie.
Lori Fink‘s daughter Sloane is 5 and has been in the Kinderdance program for 3 years. “If you ask her to pick one activity she wants to do, it’s Ballet,” said Lori. “Rebecca (our Dance Coordinator) is amazing. She’s so calm and patient with the kids, and I’m blown away by how she runs the recitals with hundreds of kids and families. Sloane is super excited to be there, she’s confident about what she’s doing, and I feel like it’s made her a leader.” Lori also said that “the Park District knows that the kids are there to learn and be serious about dance, but also to always have a good time. They understand fun.” Kids come up to Sloane at other events around the District and say Hi! “When I ask her how she knows these kids, it’s often through dance.” Community is having fun with your friends. Jason Fink coaches Little Sluggers and first-grade baseball at the Park District, and AYSO Soccer in Highland Park, extending the family’s connections to the community.
Judy and Stephen Smiley moved to Highland Park in 1974, and have been Rec Center members for about 7 years. Their children, now grown with families of their own, were always involved with Park District sports and camps. They have wonderful memories of going to Twin Pools (where Hidden Creek AquaPark is now) every afternoon with their neighbors and the kids. Community grows where people get together. All of the parks, including West Ridge, Sunset Woods, and Woodbridge, were part of the regular routine, where families met and kids played.
Judy talked about Baker Ball with particular fondness, and, as everyone who was in the program does, remarked on how Marv Baker knew every kid’s name and every parent’s name, whether on the ballfield or just walking down the street. That’s what community is all about.
What Judy and Stephen like about the Recreation Center is what you hear from all the members: “The staff is so welcoming and friendly, and everything is so accessible.” We appreciate the kind words.
Lia Sansiper graduated on May 14, 2023, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, having earned her B.S. degree in Elementary Education. The very next week, in her role as a Camp Director, she was already working on the structure for a brand new summer camp here at the district. It’s a great story that starts back in 2009.
Highland Park is Lia’s hometown, and she was a ‘Park District kid’. One of the things she loved most, and remembers well, was her experience at the district’s summer arts camp called S.W.E.A.T. Shop (later Spotlighters and Take Center Stage) which encompassed making art, creating ceramics, doing theatre performances, and learning American Sign Language (ASL). “I went to it the first time with a couple of my friends when I was going into third grade, and I kept going through sixth grade because I just loved what the camp was about. Everything we did was so memorable, and the counselors were awesome!” She was also enrolled in the After Camp program, which comes up again later in this story. Asked about the ASL class, Lia said “It was really cool learning sign language from the camp directors, and I still remember the chorus of We Are The World by Michael Jackson.” A kid goes to a Park District summer arts camp, learns about sign language, and is inspired to emulate her counselors. That’s what happens in a community.
Lia ‘aged out’ of that summer arts camp, and having been inspired and mentored by great counselors—“Susan was a real influence for all of the years I was there.”—she decided to sign up for the Counselors in Training (CIT) program and was a part of that each summer in 2013, 2014, and 2015. “I wanted to be just like my counselors,” and she wanted to learn “What went on behind the scenes,” at the camps. CITs pay to go to a summer camp, but get training to help counselors with all of that camp’s daily requirements, including check-in, setting up, and cleaning. “Four days a week we had responsibilities, but one day was always a field trip when we got to just be a camper, traveling to places like Six Flags, or going horseback riding.” Those years reinforced for Lia that she “Loved to teach!” Her CIT experience led her to become a full counselor, at Camp Sunshine for ages 4 and 5, where she has been mentoring kids and giving back to the community for the past five years.
The new summer camp that Lia has designed, with her Co-Director, Sarah Aronson, is called SPOT (an acronym for Summer Play at Oak Terrace). It’s for kids ages 6–12 and includes a number of things that were important to Lia when she was a camper. “Every day is packed with fun things to do: art, cooking, sports & games, music & entertainment, and some special events like playing pickleball and enjoying a nature walk.” Art includes both planned and free creative time, and cooking has included making delicious fruit spring rolls and beautiful rainbow waffles. Lia stressed that accessibility was a key component in the development of this camp. Parents can sign their child up for one week at a time, rather than a 3- or 4-week session like many of the other camps, which helps families plan for vacations and other summertime activities, and also makes the camp more affordable. “That’s really important, and so we’re able to have a lot of siblings in SPOT.” It’s a community thing. Most of the activities are held right at the camp (now based at Danny Cuniff Park), but each week campers have a swim day—with lessons and free swim time—at Hidden Creek AquaPark. “The campers love to go on the bus and say hi to Larry the driver!”
And, as if running that camp is not enough, Lia is also now the Director of the After Camp program this summer, bringing that part of her own camp experience full circle. “Over the years, as a camper and as a staff member, I’ve made so many amazing friends here, and we hang out together!” One by one, community grows.
Camper. CIT. Counselor. Director. Educator. We are so proud to have Lia as a member of our Park District team, and to know her as someone who is working every day to help us build a strong, vibrant, caring community in Highland Park.
Did you recognize yourself, a family member, a friend, or a neighbor in these stories? We hope so. And, we hope you’ll share your story of “Where Community Grows” with us. You can find out about everything we do here on our website and take a minute to watch our “Where Community Grows” video.
See you around the parks!
The Park Board of Commissioners Approved the Centennial Ice Arena Renovation and Site Improvements Change Order #39 from Stuckey Construction Company, Inc in the amount of $106,244.
Staff are exploring construction management options for the New Community Center at West Ridge Park.
The Park District Planning team will be visiting 26 park sites throughout the community, asking residents to share their opinions about District parks. This effort is intended to identify the District’s strengths and assess opportunities to better meet community needs at our parks.
Staff provided construction updates on the Centennial Ice Arena Facility and Site Renovations project, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Dehumidification System project, Moroney Park Playground Improvement project, Larry Fink Memorial Park Baseball Field Improvement project, and the Park Avenue Breakwater and Boat Ramp project.
Staff reviewed the preliminary engineering blueprints for the proposed parking lot at the Northeast corner of Sunset Woods Park. A neighborhood meeting will be scheduled in mid-August.
Staff reviewed design and construction management proposals for the New Community Center at West Ridge Park. Proposals included a Design Contract from Architects, Holabird and Root, and two Construction Management proposals; one from Gilbane the other from WB Olson.
Staff provided a five-year financial analysis report of Heller Nature Center and Deer Creek Racquet Club.
Lastly, staff provided a quarterly financial update for the Recreation Center of Highland Park and reviewed annual maintenance and new enhancements occurring during the annual closure.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved the Plat of Dedication for Public Right of Way.
The Park Board of Commissioners authorized the Executive Director to enter into an AIA Document B133 – 2019 standard form of Agreement for design services with Holabird and Root for the lump sum amount of $1,234,356.
The Park Board of Commissioners terminated the approved purchased order 121922-01 for a CASE 580SN 4WD backhoe in the amount of $122,478.27 and approve the purchase of a CASE 580SV 4WD backhoe from Burris Equipment Co. in the amount of $116,445.31.
Lastly, the Parks Foundation President, Rafael Labrador, provided an update on fundraising efforts.
Thrilling triumph for the ages! Congratulations to our 8U Travel Baseball team, who defeated Lincolnshire Red on Saturday, July 22 to win the Lake Shore Feeder 8U North Championship game.
The team went 12-2 in Lake Shore Feeder League, ultimately placing second. After playing five games in six days, 8U lost back-to-back games to Lincolnshire Red (Lake Shore Feeder 8U North Regular Season Champion) and Buffalo Grove, two teams they beat in championship tournament games during the season. This cost 8U the regular season championship. However, indomitable spirit and unwavering teamwork propelled the team to eventual victory. After three days’ rest, they came back to beat Buffalo Grove in back-to-back games, advancing them to the second round of the playoffs to beat New Trier Bulldogs. They went on to defeat Lincolnshire Red 10-1 in the championship 8U North game.
This week we celebrated the grand re-opening of the Park Avenue Boating Facility Breakwater and Boat Ramp. The event took place on Wednesday, July 19. Over 120 guests gathered for event; among those in attendance were Illinois State Representative of the 58th District, Bob Morgan; City Council members, members of the Park District of Highland Park Board of Commissioners, Parks Foundation of Highland Park Board members, Park Avenue Breakwater & Boat Ramp Fundraising Committee Members, and members of the Park Avenue Working Group.
The rejuvenated Boating Facility continues its legacy as a place where residents can come to restore their minds, bodies, and spirits through boating, fishing, social activities, walking, or simply sitting to enjoy the stunning views of Lake Michigan for generations to come. If you haven’t visited the new breakwater – you are in for a treat!
About the Project
In April 2022, the Park Board approved the construction of the Park Avenue Breakwater Project. Funding included $2,000,000 from the Park District’s capital fund, $200,000 from a Boat Access Area Development Grant through IDNR, and $455,000 from the Park Avenue Fundraising Committee of the Parks Foundation of Highland Park, made possible from community donations. Construction began in Fall of 2022.
In Part 1 of our 3-part series on “Where Community Grows,” we presented five stories from members of our community who play, work, make friends, stay fit, and enjoy the real sense of community that the Park District provides. In Part 2, we have more inspirational stories from your friends and neighbors.
So many of the parents who spoke with us talked about how great it was for their kids to see friends and to meet other families at programs like Safety Village, at events like Touch a Truck and Pumpkin Fest, and at favorite parks like Sunset Woods. Roxie Haery’s two sons, Kyle and Ryan, participated in preschool programs and music classes at the West Ridge Center, and she and her husband were always “very comfortable leaving our children with the Park District staff, because they are organized, professional, and always treat the kids with respect.” Respect and inclusivity come up a lot when talking to people about the Park District community. We’re proud of that.
The Haery’s boys have also been playing tennis at Deer Creek Racquet Club, where “the instructors work so well with kids of all ages,” and “we truly feel that our children are getting a very high level of instruction,” said Roxie.
Many families will tell you about the Park District baseball programs, particularly the Fall Classic League which practices and plays games at Sunset Woods Park, West Ridge, and Lincoln Park. Roxie Haery specifically mentioned that the volunteer coaches are the dads of the players on those teams, and the feeling is “inclusive and family oriented, so you will always see parents, grandparents, and siblings at the games.” Community is not the ballfield. It’s the people.
Chase Sears, who started in Saplings, graduated from Mighty Oaks in May. “He LOVED it!” said his mom, Samantha. “It was an amazing program and he learned so much. Miss Samia and Miss Jenny are such special people, and everyone raves about them!” Sam was impressed with how the teachers communicated with her every day, showing the projects Chase made. “They are all so warm and loving, and the curriculum is great.” Community is about being welcoming. At your Park District, all are welcome. It’s part of our DNA.
When Beth Pieti and her family moved here almost 11 years ago, it was the word of mouth from family (her sister) and neighbors that led her to the Recreation Center, as well as so many other Park District facilities, programs, and events. One of the things that Beth likes best about being a Rec Center member is that she has met lots of new friends in the Group Fitness Classes. They connect before class, and then they stay after class to chat some more. Finding things for her three children to do all year at the Park District was easy, because “they offer so many great programs.” Zoe, Emma, and Luke “went to summer camps and loved the Touch-A-Truck event among many others.” They enjoyed the parks–especially Sunset Woods–and, of course, Rosewood Beach, where they would take friends whenever they came from out-of-town. When you have a great community, you want to show it to everyone.
Do you know Mac Ludington? You should! And if your child is one of our 5th-grade Crew Campers, we bet you’ve heard them talk about Mac. Maybe about her swimming career at Highland Park High School and her impressive IHSA State Championship times. Or that she’s been a Chef Instructor at Sticky Fingers Cooking. Or that she’s been a pianist for 15 of her 19 years. Or maybe it’s that when Mac talks enthusiastically about being a camp counselor, she makes sure you know that Crew Camp is “the quintessential day camp, where we are just being outside and having fun!” As a kid, she always went to sleepaway camp, and about those days she says “I. Loved. Camp! I loved my counselors.” Her enthusiasm is infectious. It makes you smile. She’s a counselor you want your kids to spend the summer with, learn from, and look to as a role model. And, as an Athlete with Disabilities (AWD), Mac is well aware that “most kids don’t know how to act around disabled people.” So she’s bringing that extra piece of information to camp, helping kids go back out into the community with the knowledge that since their “super-cool camp counselor was also disabled, and that’s not a bad thing,” they are now more aware, more understanding of people, and more inclusive. That’s the way to build a better community.
Did you recognize yourself, a family member, a friend, or a neighbor in these stories? We hope so. And, we hope you’ll share your story of “Where Community Grows” with us. You can find out about everything we do here on our website and take a minute to watch our “Where Community Grows” video.
See you around the parks!
Highland Park lost one of the great ones on July 12. Charles “Chuck” Schramm passed away at the age of 89, having touched the lives of thousands of kids, teens, and parents over his long and outstanding career as a basketball player, sports coach, and mentor. Those of us at the Park District who knew Coach Schramm and watched him teach in our sports programs learned a lot about how to help kids love the games they were playing. “He had a big voice, and you always knew where he was!” said Brian Dumas, now the Park District’s Operations Manager, who worked alongside Coach for more than 14 years in the sports department. Brian remembers a time at one of the Parent-Tot T-Ball programs when there were more than 200 participants. In the middle of the staff and the volunteers helping to organize the chaos at Sunset Woods Park, “there was Coach Schramm singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game in his booming voice!”
At 6′ 6″, Coach was an imposing figure, especially at the Park District. “he was larger than life,” said Dumas, “always smiling, always kind, and always all about making sure the kids had a great time.” He made such a positive impression on young players in Highland Park and the surrounding communities that 20 years later they would bring their own kids back and introduce them to Coach Schramm. “That’s the sign of someone who has really made an impact, and it was fun to see the amazement in a little kid’s eyes when they met him and said he’s so tall!”
Many of you know Coach Schramm’s story because he was born and raised in Highland Park. As a teen, he caddied at the Bob-O-Link, Lake Bluff, and Deerpath Golf Courses—where he got to meet some of the greats, including Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson. He emerged as a star on the Highland Park High School Basketball team in his senior varsity year—after sitting on the bench for much of his first three years—sinking a couple of baskets late in a game to help the Giants secure an important win over Oak Park. That, along with his 13ppg average, would later garner several college scholarship offers. After an MVP year as a freshman at NIU (where his rebounding record stood for 32 years), and then sitting out a season, Schramm played for the Western Illinois Leathernecks under Hall of Fame coach Leroy “Stix” Morley, where he was a four-year IIAC all-league player and a two-time NAIA all-American.
Schramm was drafted as a forward by the Boston Celtics in 1957—one of the great teams with Bill Russell and Bob Cousy that played under future Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. After being sidelined by an injury, he went on to play and coach with the Wichita Vickers in the National Industrial Basketball League. A number of offers for college positions followed that stint, but Chuck decided to come back to the Highland Park area he loved and coach at his alma mater, Highland Park HS. For the next 11 years, in the late ’60s and through the ’70s, as the high school’s Jr. Varsity Basketball coach he led his teams to 100 victories.
During that time, Coach began his amazing tenure at the Park District where he founded the Travel Basketball League and the Prep (Intramural) Leagues for basketball and baseball players ages 14–18, which are all still going strong more than 50 years later. The Prep League was the first of its kind, created for players who perhaps had been cut from their school teams or who were not able to commit to an every day after-school varsity practice but still wanted to play competitive ball a few days a week on organized teams. “These leagues were very important to the players, and so was Coach Schramm,” said Eric Golmon, one of the Park District’s current Athletic Supervisors who worked with Coach for 20 years. “Coach put Highland Park players in a position to succeed, and so many of them have successful careers now because of him.” Coach was proud to have mentored at least 13 players—men and women in a variety of sports—who went on to play Division 1 college ball.
In a 2006 cover story for the local magazine six00threefive (now Highland Park Today)1, Chuck said “I loved my job coaching in HP, and working for the Park District the most! It allowed me to work with families I knew and to shape the programs any way I could.” All of us at the Park District and all of the families connected to his programs love what he gave to the community. “Coach brought his tremendous enthusiasm and passion to everything he did at the District,” said Golmon. The Park District baseball program ran from May through the end of summer at Lincoln School. Basketball ran from October through to spring. “He would coach 8 basketball games in a row on several days a week when he was in his 60s and 70s, doing whatever needed to be done to make sure that kids learned the right way to play,” Golmon remembers. That’s something you hear from everyone who knew Coach Schramm. He loved the game.
Paul Harris, Athletic Director at Highland Park High School, has a unique perspective on the impact Coach Schramm had on players. Harris was just 10 years old when he started playing in the youth basketball and baseball leagues that Coach was running at the Park District, and when he went to high school he had Coach as a physical education teacher. “There are multiple generations who learned how to play the game from Coach Schramm,” said Harris, “He was a role model and a mentor who taught us all how to ‘play it right,’ and how to win with class and dignity.”
After college, Harris came back to teach at Highland Park High School and was hired as the Head Golf Coach for the Varsity team in 1995. Coach Schramm had retired from teaching by then, but was still the Assistant Golf Coach, for the Jr. Varsity team. “It was great, as a young Head Coach, to have someone with all of his experience in multiple sports as an assistant. That’s when our relationship really became a friendship, and we spent 22 years coaching golf together at the high school.”
Over the course of his impressive teaching career, Coach helped lots of young women golfers, particularly in Lake Bluff, and the players on the high school JV team understand that golf is not an instant gratification sport. There are lots of struggles. You’re going to fail more than you succeed. Coach was able to show young players how to move through that and how to continue to love the game. “That led to a lot of players sticking with the game—whatever the sport was—that he was coaching them in,” said Harris.
Here are a few words of wisdom that those of you who were lucky enough to hear them from Coach Schramm will know, and which we take to heart as we strive to continue the work at the Park District.
“How fast you run, how high you jump, or how far you can hit a ball—that’s what you do. It’s not who you are.”
“Just keep loving the game and it will love you back.”
“You can be disappointed, but don’t be discouraged.”
“It’s OK to fail. You’ll be better because of it.”
The sports programs at the Park District, as well as the current generation of coaches in Highland Park, certainly would not be what they are today without Coach Schramm’s years of guidance. We’re better for having known him. He will always be a big part of why we love the game.
1 The six00threefive cover story was written by Coach Schramm’s friend Wes Wenk, and is used here with permission.
Cover Photo Source: Six00threefive Spring 2006