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 comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.  This is the 32nd 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.

Last October, the Recreation Center of Highland Park was honored to serve as GenderCool Project’s location for a recent docu-story. With generous support from Nike, the GenderCool docu-story is now a commercial that will run on several national networks.

The GenderCool Project is a youth-led movement bringing positive change to the world. The Champions are helping replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving.

Check out the commercial that is running now:

As of February 28, Governor Pritzker lifted the state’s face mask mandate based on the continued decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and the increase in available ICU beds across Illinois.

While the Park District of Highland Park strongly encourages everyone to make a conscious decision regarding their health and safety, we are following these new guidelines as we have done throughout the pandemic and have moved to a “mask optional” position in Park District facilities and programs for both participants and staff.  Additionally, the Park District is following the North Shore School District 112 mask-optional position for all our youth programming, including pre-school-aged programs.  

We understand that some individuals may choose to continue to wear a mask, and we ask that everyone be respectful of one another’s decisions.  Bullying or harassment regarding masking/non-masking will not be tolerated.  As a reminder, even though we are transitioning to a new mask optional position, the Park District will continue taking measures to keep our facilities, staff, and participants as safe as possible. 

Remember, to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, consistently follow the Lake County Health Department guidelines:

• Wherever you go, you should always follow public health guidelines, including the 3 Ws until you are fully vaccinated:
  • WEAR A MASK INDOORS 
  • WASH YOUR HANDS
  • WATCH YOUR DISTANCE 
• Get vaccinated! Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to COVID-19 or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system, so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Getting vaccinated and following the CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.
• Stay home if you are sick. If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, stay home. Distance yourself from others in the household and, if possible, stay in your own bedroom and use your own bathroom. If your symptoms worsen, call your healthcare provider. Do not walk into a healthcare facility, urgent care clinic, or hospital before calling. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. If your doctor believes that you need to be tested for COVID-19, your doctor can refer you to a testing site.  If you do not have a primary care provider, please contact the Lake County Health Department at (847) 377-8800. Testing can currently be done free of charge at 102 W. Water St. in Waukegan, IL, between 8 am – 4 pm. Testing is also available at other locations https://dph.illinois.gov/testing

If you have any COVID-19 questions, call the Illinois COVID-19 hotline at (800) 889-3931 or email [email protected]. You may also want to consider signing up for updates from the Lake County Health Department. 

As the local, state, and national landscapes continue to evolve, the Park District will remain vigilant and continue to keep you informed.  

Connect with your park district! Download your new Park District app and have all the information you need at the touch of a button. The app is your destination for:

• Virtual Passes – Add all your passes to your app for a quick and easy scan-ins at Rosewood Beach, Hidden Creek AquaPark, and the Rec Center. 
• Sports & Group Fitness Schedules – Check game times and locations, and your favorite fitness class times.
• Facility Information & Conditions – Access facility hours, locations, contacts, and timely information such as a time change or an emergency closure due to weather. 
• Interactive Map –Search our map by park name or amenity.  Looking for a playground appropriate for a 5-year-old or an excellent place to catch a fish — we’ve got it. Each park page includes the street address, hours, size, and even the park’s history. 
• Registration – View program options and register right from your app.
• Events & Meetings – There is always something going on at your park district – get a comprehensive listing of events and important meetings, including details and locations. You can even favorite an event or add it to your electronic calendar.  
• Push notifications – You choose the types of information you want to receive so you will never miss an important update or message.
• Promotional Coupons – Exclusive only to our app users! Receive valuable coupons from businesses in Highland Park and the Park District.   

Download the app before December 31, 2022 and receive a $5 coupon you can use at any Park District location (some restrictions apply). 

We are so excited for you to experience our new app first hand; let us know what you think. Check out the video below that highlights the new features and how to navigate the new app to get you started. 

The Park Board approved a temporary repair of the Park Avenue Boating Facility concrete ramp. On June 1, 2021, a section of the concrete ramp collapsed, resulting in the ramp’s closure for the remainder of the 2021 boating season. The temporary repair project will allow for safe use of the boat ramp from Memorial Day Weekend 2022 through Labor Day Weekend 2022. The total cost for the project is $34,500. It will include casting a new concrete topping over the damaged portion of the submerged concrete ramp, filling a void below the upper part of the concrete ramp, and repairing damaged concrete at the top of the ramp. 

Costs for permanent replacement of the concrete boat ramp and breakwater at Park Avenue are expected to be reviewed by the Park Board on March 9, 2022. If approved, that project would begin in Fall 2022 and be completed by the beginning of the 2023 boating season. 

Plan Your Spring Adventures

Our Spring Guide is now part of our newly designed website.  Browse and sign up for events, memberships, passes, and programs directly from the website. No more flipping through pages on a hard-to-read digital brochure and we are saving trees by not printing a seasonal brochure! 

Get the most out of springtime with our:

• Spring Break Activities 
  • Junior Tennis Camps
  • Orienteering
  • Spring Seekers
  • Stories in the Woods
  • and more!
• New “Fitness Your Way” membership options 
• Hidden Creek AquaPark Early Bird Pool Pass Sale
• Rosewood Beach and Lakefront Parking Pass Sales & Information
• and More!

Stunning!  A huge congratulations to Highland Park’s own Jason Brown, who performed flawlessly last night in the men’s figure skating short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics.  It was his personal-best short program performance.  Jason Brown performs the men’s figure skating free skate program this Wed., Feb 9, at 7:30 pm.

Go Jason!!!   

Welcome to Our New Website & App!

We’ve got a whole line-up of new online experiences for you! Now you have an easier way to learn about our Park District, find important information, and get your transactions done faster so you can move on with your day. 

New Website

Our new website was designed with a fresh new look and feel, improved functionality, and a more enjoyable viewing experience no matter what device you are using. The new site is jam-packed with handy new features and carefully organized based on our users’ preferences, including:

• A new home page layout with resources including a news blog, monthly event calendar, and seasonal quick links to the information you use most.
• Find information that is easy to access about our facilities, programs, rental venues, events, and much more. And, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, just type a few keywords in the search bar.
• The new online Park Shop features cool Highland Park swag – perfect for gifts or fun goodies for yourself. Best of all, proceeds from the shop benefit our Parks Foundation SMILE and FYI scholarship programs. 
• Our favorite feature is the new integrated seasonal program guides. No more flipping through pages on a hard-to-read digital brochure. Plus, we are saving the trees by not printing our guide.  All our seasonal program information is now a featured part of the website – allowing you to peruse and sign up for events, memberships, and programs. To view new Spring information, click here.

Hold on to your hats.  There is more! 

We’ve got a new App!

Connect with your park district! Download your new Park District app and have all the information you need at the touch of a button. The app is your destination for:

• Virtual Passes – Add all your passes to your app for a quick and easy scan-ins at Rosewood Beach, Hidden Creek AquaPark, and the Rec Center. 
• Sports & Group Fitness Schedules – Check game times and locations, and your favorite fitness class times.
• Facility Information & Conditions – Access facility hours, locations, contacts, and timely information such as a time change or an emergency closure due to weather. 
• Interactive Map –Search our map by park name or amenity.  Looking for a playground appropriate for a 5-year-old or an excellent place to catch a fish — we’ve got it. Each park page includes the street address, hours, size, and even the park’s history. 
• Registration – View program options and register right from your app.
• Events & Meetings – There is always something going on at your park district – get a comprehensive listing of events and important meetings, including details and locations. You can even favorite an event or add it to your electronic calendar.  
• Push notifications – You choose the types of information you want to receive so you will never miss an important update or message.
• Promotional Coupons – Exclusive only to our app users! Receive valuable coupons from businesses in Highland Park and the Park District.   

Download the app before December 31, 2022 and receive a $5 coupon you can use at any Park District location (some restrictions apply). 

We are so excited for you to experience our new website and app first hand, and let us know what you think. Check out the graphic and video below that highlight the new features and how to navigate the new website and app to get you started. 

The Board of Park Commissioner’s monthly meetings are moving from Tuesday nights to Wednesday nights. The Park Board’s regular January meeting is now scheduled for Wednesday, January 26. On a forward-going basis, the Park Board will meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month and have a workshop (meeting of the whole) on the second Wednesday of each month. 

To view the Park Board’s meeting schedule, agendas, videos, and minutes, click here. 

Congratulations to Centennial Ice Arena’s own Jason Brown for being named to the U.S. 2022 Olympic Figure Skating Team. A one-time resident of Highland Park and graduate of Highland Park High School, Jason learned to skate at a young age. When he was just five years old, his mother registered him in the Park District’s Learn-to-Skate tot program at Centennial, and he skated and trained at the ice arena early in his career. As his skill on the ice progressed, he began competing and succeeding in major skating competitions. In 2013, Jason became a World Junior Silver Medalist, and in 2014 he was selected to represent the United States on the men’s figure skating team at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
The team brought home a bronze medal. 

Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou join Brown on the U.S. figure skating team for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing from February 4 – 20.
To view the 2022 Winter Olympic Games schedule, click here. Check back to this website for updates regarding Jason Brown during the Games. Best of luck, Jason!