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At their meetings this week, the Highland Park City Council and Park District Board of Commissioners approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the City-owned property commonly known as Park Avenue Boating Facility. Under the conditions of the IGA, the Park District will have the right to use the property for public recreation purposes for a term of 50 years, including but not limited to fishing, power boating, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, use of the Yacht Club building, camp programming, and other comparable activities. No rent or fee will be paid to the City by the Park District for the term of the agreement.
The agreement allows the Park District to make any necessary repairs or improvements to the boating facility so long as they do not impact the operation and maintenance of the water plant or present any threat to the safety and security of the water plant. Also, under the terms of the agreement, the City will continue to maintain all parking lot areas (except for the North Parking Lot, which is owned by the Park District and the storage lot areas south of Yacht Club). The Park District will be responsible for enforcement of parking regulations for the parking lots on the Park Avenue Boating Facility.
“This is a wonderful example of how two governmental bodies can work together to address the needs of the community for generations to come,” said Barney Ruttenberg, President of the Park District Board of Commissioners. “With this agreement in place, the Park District can now take the appropriate steps to ensure long term access to recreational boating at Park Avenue Boating Facility, consistent with the Board approved Lakefront Master Plan.”
“The City values our partnership with the Park District of Highland Park, and appreciates the hard work of elected officials and staff to develop an agreement that will serve our community well into the future,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Formalizing responsibilities relative to the maintenance and use of this public lakefront area will allow the Park District to enhance boating and recreational water activities while ensuring the City’s access to the property for emergency water rescues and the security of Water Treatment Plant operations.”
The continued partnership between the City of Highland Park and the Park District of Highland Park will facilitate efforts to restore the Park Avenue Boating Facility’s boat launch and pursue additional improvement projects to ensure the community’s continued enjoyment of this natural resource.
More information about the Park Avenue Boating Facility is available at pdhp.org. Questions regarding the Facility should be directed to the Park District of Highland Park, Mitch Carr, Director of Recreation and Facilities, [email protected].
Public skating resumes on Tuesday, September 7 at Centennial Ice Arena:
Price:
Participants may register for public skate sessions online or in-person at Centennial.
Thank you to those that attended the Park Ave Site Improvement Plan Community Meeting on Monday, August 16, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. We had over 75 people participate and collected valuable feedback on the plan.
This community meeting was held to review the proposed concept site plan for the Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility. The meeting included a brief introduction of the concept plan followed by an opportunity to take a closer look, ask questions, and provide feedback to the project team.
If you were not able to join, click the video to watch the recorded meeting. The Park District has heard from many residents, and the slide below summarizes the trending comments. This slide is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all comments received but a snapshot. Please send comments and questions to [email protected].
Engineering for the barge breakwater/boat launch is considered a separate project and was not presented at this meeting.
About the Park Avenue Site Improvement Plan
The Park Avenue Site Improvement Plan is an initiative from the Lakefront Master Plan Update, that consolidates the various lakefront planning efforts to develop a holistic, sustainable, conceptual site plan for Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility. The plan considers access, boat storage and amenities, passive and active recreation, infrastructure repair and replacement, and is also consistent with the District’s Beach Management Plan. The site plan is conceptual at this stage and does not include specific engineering, architectural, or construction plans. Concept site plans provide the Park District support to apply for grant funds and budget for future projects. Engineering for the barge/boat launch is considered a separate project and will not be presented at this meeting.
As of Saturday, July 31, data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that Lake County is now experiencing substantial community transmission of COVID-19. The Lake County Health Department now urges individuals and businesses to follow CDC guidance and wear face masks in indoor public spaces to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Lake County communities.
For our residents’ health and safety, and to align with Lake County and CDC guidance, beginning Tuesday, August 3, face masks will be required in all Park District of Highland Park indoor facilities regardless of vaccination status. Those indoor facilities where masks are required at all times include the Recreation Center of Highland Park, Deer Creek Racquet Club, Sunset Valley clubhouse, Hidden Creek bathhouse, West Ridge Center, Heller Nature Center, and Centennial Ice Arena. Signs will be posted at all facilities as a reminder to patrons.
The Park District guidelines will remain the same for our outdoor facilities and programs as follows:
We appreciate our community’s understanding and cooperation as we work together to navigate these challenging times. The Park District will continue to work with state, county, and local authorities. Always, your health and safety are our top priority, and we will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
For more information on the CDC and Lake County guidelines, click here.
Due to Lake County now experiencing substantial community transmission of COVID-19, the Lake County Health Department now urges individuals and businesses to follow CDC guidance and wear face masks in indoor public spaces to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Lake County communities. See below for details:
Outdoor Facilities and Programs
Indoor Facilities and Programs
Currently, the Park District is not tracking patrons and participants for vaccinations. By participating in a Park District program, lesson, or activity or visiting an outdoor Park District facility without a face mask, you are verifying truthfully that you have been fully vaccinated.
You are considered fully vaccinated:
If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.
For your continued safety, certain guidelines will remain in place at some of our facilities. For facility-specific guidelines and other information click on the facility links below:
Recreation Center of Highland Park
Highland Park Golf Learning Center
If guidelines change, we will update you accordingly. If you have any questions about how this will affect your participation in a program, please contact your program manager.
Our staff works with our local, state, and federal authorities with the primary goal of keeping our customers, residents, and staff safe and healthy. Updates are provided on this website, on the Park District Facebook page, and via email. To subscribe to our emails, click here.
Remember to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including COVID -19, consistently follow the Lake County Health Department guidelines:
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 at https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4420/COVID-19-Updates.
As the local, state, and national landscapes continue to evolve, the Park District will remain vigilant and continue to keep you informed.
In support of our country’s veterans, the Park District of Highland Park has amended its Military Discount Policy to include the eligibility of “veteran” servicemen and women and their immediate families to receive discounted services. Before this addition, the Military Discount Policy provided a 15% discount off resident rates for programs, memberships, and daily fees, excluding select contractual programs for active military and their families. The Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the new military discount policy amendment to include veterans at their July 27, 2021 meeting.
Veteran and active military must register in person with proof of active or veteran service to receive the reduced rates.
On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its COVID-19 guidance in light of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 Delta variant across the country. The Delta variant appears to be more transmissible than other variants, and, most importantly, appears to be transmissible even from individuals who are fully vaccinated.
Though Lake County currently has moderate transmission rates, the Park District is working closely with the county, state, and local authorities. And, we will take immediate action should transmission rates increase to substantial or high in our areas, or stricter guidance comes from the Illinois Department of Public Health. As always, your health and safety are our top priority, and we will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
For updates on the Park District’s response to COVID-19, click here.
At the July 27 Board Meeting, the Park Board approved the Sunset Woods Park Playground Renovation construction contracts. Construction is set to begin mid-August for the grand opening in Spring 2022 (weather dependent).
Check out the renderings of the new playground below. To learn more about the project, click here.
The Nature-Themed playground honors the natural beauty at Sunset Woods Park by resembling a forest floor to facilitate imaginative play. Kids can run through a fallen acorn, balance on the vines, climb log steppers, engage with the worm talk tubes, or interact with the sand at the sand play table. The primary play structure includes opportunities for climbing, sliding, crawling, and sensory play. The playful rubber surface design also offers an opportunity for imaginative play with lily pods and a river pattern. The variety of swings between the two play areas welcome all ages and abilities including belt swings, tot swing, ADA, and an expression swing for an adult to swing together with a child.
The new Rocket Ship playground will feature a primary rocket with a connecting launch tower. Kids will have a variety of ways to climb up the tower, making each visit unique and challenging including a rope climber, a crawl tube connecting one platform to the next, a net climber, and finally a ladder to the nose cone of the rocket where kids can view out from the 25’ high platform. Easy access stairs and climbers are also available through the tower. Kids can pretend they are part of a real launch at mission control and the command center, spin on the loading zone spinner, and move between the launch tower and rocket on the accessible bridge link. Surrounding the rocket ship, kids can play on the sun spinner, group swing, run up and slide down the rubberized embankment amongst the planets or climb on the “galaxy” net climber. All these pieces are mounted on rubberized surfaces with a design that transports you to outer space while making the entire playground accessible.
The site amenities including a central seating plaza, benches, seating wall, walkway, and picnic tables make this an engaging and playful destination for families.
Looking for a meaningful way to commemorate a special event or memorialize a loved one and give back to your community? Purchase a $200 engraved brick with a message of your choice to help the Parks Foundation of Highland Park raise funds to build a playground seating plaza between the new Rocket Ship and Nature-Themed playgrounds!
Your 4”x 8” brick engraved message includes a maximum of three lines and up to 13 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation.
The Park District of Highland Park strives to serve as the center of the community and to be our residents’ first choice for recreational services. Our adopted policies, procedures, and programs are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
At the July 27 Regular Board Meeting, the Park Board approved the value statement and pledge for inclusion developed by the Park District’s Climate Task Force. The task force is comprised of staff volunteers who share a commitment to keep the Park District on course as a leader in our community for progressive inclusion.
The new value statement adopted by the Board is as follows:
The Park District of Highland Park is an ally for inclusion and equitable access, where everyone is afforded the same rights and opportunities that result in a sense of belonging, and the ability to safely express themselves authentically, without judgment.
Additionally, the Park District of Highland Park pledges:
For more information on the Park District’s inclusion policies and programs, click here.
With over 700 acres of land, 45 parks, four beaches and nine facilities, the Park District of Highland Park is one of the largest and certainly one of the most diverse districts in Illinois.
View a summary of the Park District’s progress in 2020, in our Annual Report.
The Park District’s Cunniff Park has been tapped as the location for the third annual Chicago Pickleball Open Tournament, scheduled for September 1– 5, making Highland Park a destination spot for players and fans of the sport. The event, which will be televised on CBS Network Sports, is a sanctioned U.S.A. Pickleball Association tournament. An estimated 500 players are expected to compete with a $35,000 purse for professional competitors.
Today, pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is the fastest-growing sport in America. In the five years to the end of 2019, pickleball participation grew by more than 7%, according to the Sport & Fitness Industry Association.
“Like the rest of the country, pickleball is catching on quickly in Highland Park and all over the north shore, and this tournament is a great opportunity to grow the sport even more,” said Brian Romes, executive director for the Park District of Highland Park.
A few years back, residents began asking for a spot to play, and the demand has only grown, Romes said. In response, the Park District built six dedicated pickleball courts at Cunniff Park and two dedicated pickleball courts at Woodridge Park. Several existing tennis courts are lined for pickleball play, including two at Brown Park, two at Old Elm Park, and one at Woodridge Park. In addition, Deer Creek Racquet Club hosts pickleball leagues and offers drill and play lessons throughout the year.
The tournament is open to any interested players, both amateurs and professionals.
“We have a vast array of opportunities for players of all levels,” said Ken Herrmann, executive director of Chicago Metro Pickleball and co-director of the open.
Spectators are welcome to watch, and athletes of all ages are invited to try out the sport.
“It’s a family event,” Herrmann said. “Everyone can play because of the small size of the court and the actual pickleball, which moves very fast. Everyone can get relatively good quickly and get out there and enjoy the game.” The tournament includes three age levels; juniors, adults, and seniors, including men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
Though everyone is welcome, Highland Park residents can expect to see some pro athletes. “Some of the biggest pros are coming in from across the country,” Herrmann said.
Players interested in taking part in the open can register here.
In preparation for the tournament, please be aware of the following court closures at Danny Cunniff Park: the basketball court and tennis courts #1 and #7 will be closed to the public Aug 26 – Sept 9. All tennis and pickleball courts will be closed to the public Sept 1-5.